Hmmm, yea, so lentils… not particularly photogenic.

Brown rice and lentils has ‘hippy food’ written all over it, right?

Well, you know what, those hippys might have been on to something because this meal was utterly delicious and filled me up for the whole evening. Generally, as we tend to eat early with the children (around 5.30pm) I find myself feeling peckish by 9 o’clock. Not so after this delicious curry, both myself and Mr. LA felt no need to snack before bed, and anything that stops me reaching for the biscuits is a winner in my book.

Lentils are seriously good for you. A rich source of fibre, folate, magnesium and iron, they’re good for your heart and provide energy to burn while stabilising your blood sugar. And, as they absorb flavors really well, they are simply magnificent in a curry.

I was aided and abetted in the preparation of this dish my favourite kitchen sidekick, the slow cooker. I cannot recommend these highly enough. If you work long hours, have small children to cook for (or even big children) or simply find yourself too tired to prepare a proper meal when you get home than this is definitely the kitchen appliance for you.

In the morning I whack everything in the pot, switch to low and head off to uni with a decidedly smug glow about my person. The knowledge that a healthy and nutritious meal will be there to greet me when I get home always puts a spring in my step and there’s nothing like tumbling through the front door at the end of a long day to be met by the comforting smell of whatever happens to be bubbling away in the pot. My slow cooker is this one by Morphy Richards and I’d wholeheartedly recommend it.

This recipe, which happens to be one of the easiest things I’ve ever prepared in the slow cooker, is adapted from Hamlyn 200 slow cooker recipes. This book was first recommended to me by Emma (a fellow slow cooking enthusiast). I’d suggest that anyone with a slow cooker should part with £2.99 and invest in this book, as it’s packed full of brilliant recipes.

You will need:

250g red lentils (although I just emptied in what was left in the bag, probably more like 350g)
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, roughly crushed
1 teaspoon (ish) ground ginger (the recipe calls for 2cm fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped)
200g canned chopped tomatoes (I used 400g as I’d upped the quantity of lentils)
600ml boiling vegetable stock
salt and pepper
a few generous handfuls of spinach

1. Preheat the slow cooker if necessary (my model doesn’t require me to do this). Rinse the lentils well with cold water, drain and put in the slow cooker with the onion, spices, tomatoes and boiling stock.

2. Stir in a little salt and pepper, cover with the lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours (or low for 6-8, like me), or until the lentils are soft and tender.

3. For the last 10 minutes, add the washed spinach leaves, stirring them through until they are wilted. Serve with rice, naan bread and maybe a little mango chutney.

Are you a fan of hippy food like me? Have you dabbled in slow cooking before?

Loveaudrey xxx

P.S I imagine that with a bit of imagination you could adapt this recipe for normal cooking too, probably by simply following the cooking instructions on the packet of lentils and frying the onions and spices first!