Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 red pepper, seeded, membrane removed and diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida powder (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 teaspoons vegetable bouillon
- 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 4 teaspoons tomato paste
- 14 oz can brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 large all-purpose potatoes, diced
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon xylitol
- 2½ tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- 5 spinach leaves, shredded
- steamed rice or chapatti, to serve
Lentil and Spinach Casserole
Method
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium–high heat. Add the onion, garlic and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens.
Add the salt, coriander, asafetida powder, cayenne pepper and bouillon and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils, carrot, potatoes, lemon juice, xylitol and enough water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium–low and simmer, covered, for 25–30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and spinach leaves. Serve with steamed rice or chapatti.
Note: Asafetida powder is used widely in Indian cooking and is a powdered flavoring obtained from a large, fennel-like plant. Because of its pungency, it is always used in small quantities. It is available from Indian grocery stores and some health food stores.
“LivWise” by Olivia Newton-John, published by Murdoch, RRP $39.99 available where books are sold.
Submitted byOlivia Newton-John
Tips and Tricks
Casseroles are leftover-friendly meals – you can experiment by replacing these vegies with whatever you have to hand, including things which have seen better days but are fine to eat.
If you can’t access asafetida powder, you can use garlic or onion powder as a replacement.
Leftover tomatoes can also be frozen, ready to be used in a sauce, soup or casseroles. Store in an airtight container/bag in your freezer to prevent freezer burn.
