Eating Healthy on a Budget
It doesn't take a lot of time, money or complicated ingredients to eat something that is nutritious and earth friendly. Lentils and brown rice make a complete protein, making this dish an excellent vegetarian meal. This recipe is the perfect comfort food for cold weather, it's enough to feed a family of 4 and costs under $5 to prepare!
Get Recipe:
Episode:
Fall Basics November 20, 2008
newsletter sign up:
Comments
This looks absolutely delicious, but when do you put in the lentils to cook? Sorry, I'm unfamiliar with the lentil cooking process. Also, are you going to put up a printable recipe so I can see a step-by-step version of how to do this? I've tried several of your recipes, Sophia and Emma, which have been marvelous, thanks to your specific directions and just want to make sure I don't screw this one up!
Thanks :)
Hi Jane,
We just posted the recipe, so that you can try it at home! Thanks for watching the show and making our recipes, it is so exciting to hear that someone is cooking along with us!
This looks really good...only when do you add the lentils? I've watched the clip twice and only see them in the final dish.
Thanks :)
Hi Shirley, I add the lentils after the rice has been simmering for about 30 minutes. Since brown rice takes about 1 hour to cook, and the lentils only 20 minutes or so, I add them halfway through the rice's cooking process. I am glad you asked!!!
I would also like to add that you can do so much to give this dish added flavor. For a different spin, you can use coconut oil or ghee to sweat the onions, instead of olive oil. You could then add minced or powdered ginger, turmeric,cinnamon, and/or cardamom pods as your spices. You could use finely diced carrots and leeks for a more French-style base. Feel free to experiment!
Hi Sophia,Great recipe...that looks so good! I love lentils and we eat them regularly, but I never thought to actually combine them with brown rice. I am going to give it a try, but I will definitely use beef or chicken broth instead of water because I really like the added flavor. Thanks for sharing this "budget meal" because as a father of 5 children I am always looking for great ways to get the kids to eat healthy and delicious food without spending a bunch of money. Wishing you the best,Pete
Sorry...I forgot to mention...my wife and I always cook with coconut oil. We really like the flavor it adds, in addition to the health benefits. Thanks again!~ Pete
Hi Pete- Sorry for the late reply. I love lentils with brown rice. There is something very comforting about them. I am glad that you and your family eat so healthily while saving money. I also love coconut oil- especially when cooking rice. I have a client that cooks her blackberries in coconut oil, which I love the sound off. It is the best!
Wow! This is a smart way to start living a healthy lifestyle. Cheap and easy to prepare. I really look for something like this. Thank you for posting! I would also like to share that one way to sustain your body's nourishment is to simply drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday. My doctor always reminds me of this and I'm actually making it a habit. I didn't like it at first but I got used to it and mind you, my body's doing great!
Hi Ginnie! Cooking is really my passion and like you, I also value eating healthy foods. Considering the cost has been part of my checklist ever since. I wanna be a practical cook ensuring not only delectable and nutritious dishes but also the budget. As a mom, it's my job. True enough, this dish is qualified in my standards. And thank you for the tip on drinking 8 glasses of water daily. I'm starting to like it now.
I'm a health conscious freak. I suffered from obesity before and I'm so happy that I made it all to what I am now. I don't want to go back from the old me and so every food I take is keenly checked. I don't mind if it takes much time sometimes to prepare my dish as long as I'm at peace that it's healthy or nutritios.
Post new comment