RICE and LENTILS with vegetables and fruit

Do you have some lentils left from the New Year’s Eve dinner?
I suggest you an alternative to the classic stewed lentils for Christmas time. Rice and lentils with pumpkin, kale, green beans, Brussels sprouts and fruit are the ingredients of this healthy and low-fat recipe.
A vegan and gluten free delicious and easy recipe that provides all the ingredients that should not be missing on your table the New Year’s Eve!

Lentils are the oldest legume in the world, a great source of protein and they are also rich in fiber and minerals. They should always be consumed with cereals because they lack some essential amino acids. That’s why I suggest you a recipe with lentils and jasmine rice, an extremely aromatic rice that goes very well with any ingredient. Obviously, basmati rice or traditional rice are just as good!

Unfortunately, the consumption of lentils is limited only to this time of year and the Christmas holidays in general, but remember that lentils are a legume that can be (and should be) eaten throughout the whole year. This recipe rice and lentils salad is really adaptable. You can eat it hot as a main dish, warm adding fresh fruit, or cold with raw vegetables and fresh fruit in the summer.

The recipe includes, in addition to jasmine rice and lentils, seasonal vegetables as pumpkin, kale and Brussels sprouts, to which I added pomegranate arils, kumquat or clementines, red grapes and also lychees, papaya or pineapple.

I wish you a happy and peaceful New Year and I hope that you can realize all your dreams and your plans in 2016.
Best wishes!
Fran

The rice and lentils with vegetables and fruit recipe is

vegan
gluten free
healthy, light and low-fat
perfect as a main dish or appetizer
flexible and versatile
egg free, butter free, dairy free
perfect for the Christmas time but adaptable to all seasons
rich in protein, fiber and vitamins

RICE and LENTILS with vegetables and fruit | Vegan + GF

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

Healthy, easy and low-fat rice and lentils winter salad with pumpkin, kale, pomegranate, Bruxelles sprouts and fruits #vegan #glutenfree #christmas

Author: Beauty Food Blog

Recipe type: main course, salad, entree

Cuisine: Vegan Gluten Free

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

½cup lentils
¾cup basmati or jasmine rice
¾cup pumpkin, cubed
½cup green beans
¾cup Bruxelles sprouts
¾cup carrots, diced
½cup shallot, diced
1cup celeriac or celery, diced
1cup kale
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves
thyme, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, chopped (optional)
2-3tbsp pomegranate arils
½ cup grapes

additional add-ins:

kumquat o clementines
papaya or pineapple
lychee

Instructions

Cook the lentils in salted water for 20-25 minutes and drain when al dente.
In a non-stick pan, cook the diced vegetables over medium heat with the bay leaves and 1 tbsp (10g) of olive oil. After 10 minutes, add lentils and let cook for 5 more minutes over low heat.
Separately, cook the rice in salted water for 12-15 minutes. Drain the rice and add it to the lentils. Discard the bay leaf and season with 1 tbsp (10g) of olive oil and the chopped herbs.
In a saucepan, bring water to a boil with salt, blanch the pumpkin and the sprouts and cook the green beans until al dente.
Stir-fry all vegetables with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat and add the chopped kale leaves or in clumps.
Serve rice and lentils with sauteed vegetables, pomegranate arils, grapes cut into quarters and fruit to taste.
Eat hot or warm as a starter, main dish or appetizer.

Notes

Nutrition label excludes the additional fruit, but does include pomegranate and grapes.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 of 6 Calories: 261 Fat: 7.5g Carbohydrates: 42.4g Fiber: 5.4g Protein: 7.8g Cholesterol: 0

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