I had put off trying this recipe for a long time, unsure as to how my boys would respond.

You know what it’s like, weary mums….. sometimes you have the energy to try a new meal and you’re all ready and armed for the dinner battle and other times, it’s all you can do to plate up what you know will be eaten without a fuss.

In one of my tried and tested strategies, I served this dish differently the first time I made it for the family, which is a while back now.

I put the whole thing in one big bowl with serving spoons and brought it to the table. Everyone got to help themselves and then we played ‘guess the mystery ingredient’ as I got them to taste and try the lentils.

It actually worked this time, and this meal has gone on to become a regular in our house and all of our boys eat it.

We all love meat in our house, but it’s very good for us to have meat-free meals a few nights of the week. It’s good for our health as well as for the budget.

So a few quick facts about the star ingredient… LENTILS:

Lentils are part of the Legume family, (which includes other foods like black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, peanuts and butter beans.)
Lentils are an awesome source of PROTEIN – they have the highest level of protein, by weight, of any plant-based food. This makes them a great food for vegetarians.
They are great source of folate, iron, magnesium, and B Vitamins.
They are a ‘slow-burning complex carbohydrate’, which gives you energy over a long period, without causing a massive spike in your blood sugar levels. These are GOOD CARBS.
They are super cheap – I used an 80c can of lentils for this recipe that served a family of 5.
They are quick and easy to prepare and use.

This recipe is from Delicious magazine, October 2013.

Lentil Bolognese (vegetarian)

Created by emma@cookfasteatslow.com on November 2, 2015

Prep Time: 5m
Cook Time: 15m
Total Time: 20m

Serves: 5
Category: Mid Week Meals

Ingredients

500 grams wholemeal spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion or leek, finely chopped (white part of leek only, wash before chopping)
1 celery stalk, washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 700ml jar of tomato Passata (tomato cooking sauce)
250 grams punnet cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
400 grams can lentils, rinsed and drained
shaved parmesan and basil leaves to serve

Method

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and add onion, celery and garlic and cook until softened.
Add passata and 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer.
Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
Add lentils and stir, and cook for another minute.
Drain pasta and place in a large serving bowl topped with the sauce.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with parmesan and chopped Basil leaves.