I attribute this find to “M” yet again! He’s been great at finding new recipes for us to try, plus he’s my trusty partner in the kitchen every day. We have a nice little groove going. It’s nice to have company while cooking.

He found this one in Joanne Wier’s “From Tapas to Meze” cookbook. It’s pretty easy, so it’s perfect for a weeknight meal or a lazy day. I’ve adapted this somewhat to fit our tastes, and here it is!

• 1.5 C green lentils (those little French ones)
• 3 C water or veggie stock
• 1/2 medium onion (or 1/4 of the red onion below) – in a chunk (not chopped or anything)
• 2 bay leaves
• lemon zest or a strip of lemon peel
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t turmeric
• 1 t sweet paprika
• 1/2 t cayenne (more or less, depending on how spicy you like it)
• 1/2 C fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 C fresh chopped cilantro
• juice of one super-juicy lemon (or two semi-juicy ones)
• salt, pepper
• extra lemon wedges for serving

In a small pot, put the lentils, water, 1/2 onion, bay leaves, and lemon zest/peel. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring every now and then, for about 20 minutes until the lentils are tender and the water has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the red onion and sautee about 5 minutes until translucent and soft. Add the garlic and spices, cook 1 minute until fragrant and slightly toasted. Add the tomatoes  and cook another 2-3 minutes. Finally, add in the lentils, parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and heat through! That’s it.

Serve it with some gluten-free vegan pitas and the extra lemon wedges (because an extra squeeze of lemon on top is yum). You could also serve this on a bed of lettuce or rice (or wild rice) or potatoes (sweet potatoes would be good!) to bulk it up a bit.

This also makes amazing leftovers, so make a big batch and have the remains for lunch the next day or two.

*I’m looking for some decent gf/vegan pitas… It’s tough! So I’m also searching for some good recipes. I found a couple online that I’m going to try, but if you have a go-to pita bread, please share!