Lentils & Buckwheat with Caramelized Onions
A gluten-free meal, high in protein, iron and fiber.
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 1 pound brown lentils cleaned and rinsed
- 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves coarsely diced
- 3 carrots peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 celery stalks cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup buckwheat grouts rinsed
- 3 cups baby spinach chopped coarsely and set aside for plating
- 1 onion cut into thin rings for caramelizing and set aside for plating
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 T for lentils, 1 T for caramelized onions
- 1 tablespoon Anti-inflammatory Spice Mix
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon mushroom umami spice find it at Trader Joe’s
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes for spinach optional
- 7 cups vegetable broth low sodium
Instructions
For Onions
- Turn oven on to 400 degrees.
- Put the onion rings onto a cookie tray lined with parchment paper.
- Add salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, toss and set set aside.
- When the lentils begin to simmer you can put the onions into the hot oven and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown.
For Lentils
- Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot and sauté the chopped onions until translucent, add salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin and stir.
- Add the garlic, cook until it becomes aromatic.
- Add the carrots and stir well.
- Add the lentils, stir well.
- Stir in the buckwheat.
- Add the vegetable broth and allow it to boil, occasionally stirring.
- Once it has boiled, lower the heat to simmer and stir in the bay leaves and the chopped celery.
- Stir well and taste, add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook over low heat for about 25 -30 minutes, add a bit more vegetable broth if it gets too dry.
- When the lentils are cooked toss in the raw spinach with ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
- Serve the warm lentils over the spinach and garnish with the caramelized onions.
Notes
Lentils freeze well, good meal to have at hand.