Fighting Lunchtime Temptation: Maple Baked Lentils with Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprouts
Sometimes it’s hard to avoid lunchtime temptation. When 11:00am rolls around and my tummy is already rumbling, I dread that e-mail that says “Ordering Taylor’s Gourmet for lunch! Here’s the menu. Have your order in by 11:30.” Not because I dislike Taylor’s Gourmet… no, quite the opposite. I just find it hard to stick to my very best brown bag intentions in the face of such temptation, and both my wallet and my waistline feel the blow.
So the question is, how does one fight said lunchtime temptation? Well, my strategy is to brown bag a lunch that I look forward to so much that I don’t even think twice to click ‘delete.’ This recipe is a perfect example. It’s rich and comforting on a cold day, sweet, savory and satisfying. It’s also vegan and filled with all sorts of healthy ingredients. Definitely worth the prep work on a Sunday afternoon.
Oh, and for the sake of full disclosure: As I write this post, I’m scarfing down the other half of the 12″ Lombard Ave sub I ordered at lunch.
Maple Baked Lentils with Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprouts
Adapted from Oh She Glows
Yield: 5 servings
2 cups dry red lentils
1 sweet onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 sweet apple, peeled and diced (I used Gala)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
14-oz can diced tomatoes (about 1.5 cups)
2 cups brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
2.5 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/2-1 tsp fine grain sea salt + ground pepper, to taste
1-2.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar, to taste
- In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, add lentils along with 4 cups of water. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for about 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring often. Add more water if necessary. Lentils are ready when they are just tender but not mushy, and most of the water is absorbed.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Add onion, garlic, apple, sweet potato, brussels sprouts, canned tomatoes, maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, mustard, salt, apple cider vinegar and pepper to the pot with the lentils. Stir well to combine.
- Cover with lid and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and stir. Bake for another 8-12 minutes, uncovered, until the sweet potato is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
