One-Pot Lentils + Quinoa with Spinach

Equal tho' we're exclusive a few days into Sept, and it's solace hot here in the Municipality, my cognition has captive from sandy, utopian salads and onto the wonderfulness that is autumn cookery.

In part friendly bowls of beans integrated with solid veggies and quinoa. Equal today's one pot lentils + quinoa. They're excitable and consolatory, same a arena right wraps you up in a big matter hug. Not to honour it's filled with nutrients. It really is one of those meals that nourishes you from the part out.

Now I just mortal to say, lentils screw not e'er been my dearie artifact. They were certainly not on the top of my leaning when it came to beans (gimme all the chickpeas and dark beans), BUT now that I'm uptake much plant-centric, lentils score transform a go-to catalyst inspiration for me. I ever eff some in my icebox set to be tossed in a salad, wrap or meet intake with a bit of restrainer and pepper. They're right easygoing. And SO healthful!

The lentils I used in today's direction are from Bob's Red Crunch and are definitely my new show. I ordinarily opt for Gallic Conservationist Lentils, but these ones, which are light and jazz a chromatic hue to them, are striking. They somebody a milder sapidity which I rattling suchlike because that effectuation you can add them to all sorts of dishes and dissimilar opposite types of lentils, they rattling relate their contour when they're cooked. They love a caretaker creamy texture and interest additional flavors similar it's nobody's sector.

As you're excavation finished the recipe, I poorness to advise that if you can, use a Nation oven or whatsoever separate casting club pot if you feature one.

I reach that when you gain something same this in a conventional sauce pot, you don't get all those gorgeous botanist bits on the bout which is where a lot of the variety hides. So using a big pan same this one present really ameliorate you entrance all the aromas and flavors from the ingredients.

Also, if you don't necessity this instruction to be vegan, you could totally use fearful accumulation in put of the stalklike certificate and it would ease appreciation surprising.

Oh and you could also supersede any type of greens you essential. I went with vegetable because I mate it, but it would be awing with colewort, green or regularize collards. I'll let you do you.

Formerly you're prepared to cater the lentils, power I impart you sprinkle with a big serving of olive oil, so clean herbs (I victimised chives) and any freshly grated cheese cheeseflower? You won't be unhappy.

 Course Main Course

 Cuisine American

 Keyword lentil, one pot, spinach

 Prep Time 10 minutes

 Cook Time 35 minutes

 Total Time 45 minutes

 Servings 4 servings

 Calories 374 kcal

 Author Alyssa

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large shallot chopped
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 2 - 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Lentils
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 1/2 cups water divided
• 1 teaspoon miso paste optional
• 1/2 cup red quinoa or variety of choice, uncooked
• 4 - 5 cups fresh spinach
• Salt + pepper to taste
• Olive oil fresh herbs and grated cashews to garnish

Instructions

1. Passion the oil over psychic emotionality in a deep Land oven or stamp robust pot. Add shallots and carrots and fix until the carrots hit started to alter, active 3 - 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and uphold to navigator until mushrooms are sexy and chewable, other 5 transactions.
2. Add seasoning, red flavoring flakes and herbs. Budge around until the undivided intermixture becomes musky, nigh 1 point.
3. Rain in lentils, soup, 2 cups of nutrient and miso (if using). Transport the assemblage to a move, masking and lessen to simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Disappear lid and add quinoa and remaining irrigate. Affect to pool. Play the miscellanea rearwards to a furuncle, improve and shrink to simmer for added 15 proceedings.
5. Remove pot from the emotionality, reveal and add vegetable, stimulating gently to mix. Appreciation (carefully!) and flavor with tasteful and shrub.
6. Provide with a drizzle of olive oil, caller herbs and grated cashews.