Busy our hands.

[hannah]

Thanks to neighbors moving out of their apartments, not only do I have enough laundry pods to last at least another six months, I've got more lentils than I know what to do with. No, really. There's six kinds of lentils in my apartment right now, not counting the dried chickpeas, unroasted peanuts, and dried red beans. It's going to be the summer of lentils. My strategy's going to be to work through the smaller amounts first before moving onto the larger ones - there's enough red lentils for one or two meals, but the green ones will keep me fed for weeks.

I'm checking the usual websites, looking through my cookbook shelf, thinking of how to make them interesting and palatable when I'll be eating so much of them. I figure that once I'm done with Rome, a dive through the rest of Steven Spielberg's movies should be good enough distraction to carry the lentils those last few days when I don't want to pay too much attention to what I'm having for lunch.

I've also got some quinoa and rice and black soybeans, if I want to shake things up somewhat. Farro, too, down in a bag somewhere.

Comments

Hmm ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>I'm checking the usual websites, looking through my cookbook shelf, thinking of how to make them interesting and palatable when I'll be eating so much of them.<<

Our favorite is Lentil Dal from the Vegetarian Epicure. Good mixed with rice too.

You might consider eatloaf; lentils are good for that.

https://www.veganricha.com/vegan-lentil-quinoa-loaf/

https://www.thefullhelping.com/red-lentil-chickpea-loaf-simple-vegan-mushroom-gravy/

Xawaash spice mix is awesome. I use it to make chicken stew with butter beans, but the red beans or chickpeas should work fine.

https://archive.ph/bCv7V

Varying both the texture and the flavor helps avoid culinary exhaustion.

Also worth a thought: many of those dry ingredients make a hearty base for adding pretty much whatever you find at a farmer's market. Garlic chives are well up, asparagus is coming in, mushrooms should rise any time now. More spring greens will follow, then cherry tomatoes. Just cook the base legume / grain, then add the soft spring veggies for a few minutes.