Lentil & Cashew Nut Roast

Ingredients:

200g red lentils,
450ml vegetable stock,
1 bay leaf,
100g unsalted cashew nuts,
2 onions, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice,
75g grated cheese,
100g breadcrumbs,
3 tbsps parsley,
1 egg

Method:

1. Add lentils, stock & bay leaf to a pan & bring to the boil. Cover & allow to simmer for 10-15 mins until the stock has been absorbed.
2. Toast cashew nuts in a dry frying pan for a few minutes & chop roughly.
3. Preheat oven to 190C.
4. Add some oil to frying pan & fry onions for a few minutes before adding, pepper, carrot, garlic and frying until soft.
5. Mix together in a large bowl the cooked lentils, fried vegetables & all the other ingredients.
6. Put into a greased loaf tin & cover with foil.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil & bake for a further 30 minutes.
8. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Serve with gravy, vegetables, potatoes as an alternative to meat for a Sunday roast.

Slow Cooked Lentil Ragu

Ingredients:

2 onions

2 carrots

3 celery stick

2 red peppers

200g dried red lentils

200g dried green lentils

3 tins chopped tomatoes

100g tomato puree

700ml vegetable stock (made with 2 OXO cubes)

2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp mixed herbs

Method:

1. Chop onions, carrots & celery into chunks.
2. Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and stir together.
3. Cook on low for 5-7 hours until the lentils are cooks and the sauce is thick.

Occasionally extra liquid may need to be added before the end of the cooking time. If there is too much liquid, you can leave the lid off for the last hour to allow some excess water to boil off.

Ideal to serve with rice or pasta or jacket potatoes. Great sauce for a lasagne too.

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 leek, sliced

2 carrots, chopped

150g mushrooms, chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

3 tbsp dried sage (or 3 fresh leaves if available)

3 tbsp dried thyme (or 3 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves only if available)

250g dried green lentils

750ml vegetable stock (made with 1 vegetable OXO cube)

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

200ml red wine

1 tbsp (vegetarian) Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

tbsp olive oil

Topping:

2 large sweet potatoes

2 large potatoes

1 small/medium cauliflower, heads only

large knob of butter

handful of grated cheese

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the leeks, until they begin to soften.
3. Add carrots, mushrooms and garlic, continuing to cook for 4-5 mins, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the herbs, lentils, tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock, red wine, soy sauce & Worcestershire sauce and stir together well.
5. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer on a low heat for 30-40 minutes to thicken slightly.
6. Whilst the filling is simmering, boil the potatoes, sweet potatoes & cauliflower in a pan together for 15 mins until all is soft.
7. Drain the vegetables and add the butter to mash until smooth.
8. Transfer the filling to an oven proof dish and top with the mashed vegetables. Sprinkle the grated cheese on the top.
9. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

Topping:

500g potatoes, peeled and chopped

splash of milk

50g butter

few handfuls of grated cheese

salt & pepper

Filling:

1 onion, chopped finely

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp thyme

1 bay leaf

300g lentils

2/3 large carrots, chopped

handful of frozen peas

handful of frozen sweetcorn

1 tin of black eyed beans

600ml vegetable stock

splash of Worcester sauce (vegetarian one)

1 tbsp tomato puree

olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Gently fry the onion, garlic & thyme in the oil, until soft.
3. Add a little more oil & the lentils, coating them in the oil.
4. Add the vegetable stock, carrots, peas, sweetcorn, black eyed beans, bay leaf, Worcester sauce & tomato puree, mix well.
5. Bring to the simmer, with the lid on the pan simmer for 20-30 mins until the carrots are soft & lentils are cooked but not too mushy.
6. Whilst the lentils are simmering, prepare the potatoes & boil them in a pan of boiling water until soft.
7. Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk and a handful of cheese. Add the seasoning to taste.
8. Place the lentil filling into the bottom of an ovenproof dish and top with the mashed potato.
9. On top sprinkle another handful of grated cheese.
10. Place in the oven for about 30 mins or until the topping is golden brown.

Serve with a green salad or crusty bread.

Vegetable Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

Topping:

1kg potatoes

75g butter

75g grated cheese

Filling:

175g red lentils

1 leek, sliced

1 onion, chopped finely

500ml boiling water

vegetable stock cube

2 tomatoes, chopped finely

1tsp mixed herbs

4 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C or Gas Mark 6.
2. Chop the potatoes into chunks and place in a pan. Fill pan with boiling water and boil for ~20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
3. Mash the potatoes with the butter and cheese.
4. Melt 50g butter in a pan (with a lid) on a low/medium heat and then add the leeks and onion. Stir for ~10 minutes or until soft.
5. Mix the stock cube with the boiling water to create a vegetable stock.
6. Add the lentils to the pan and coat with the melted butter before adding the stock. Place the lid on the pan and bring to the boil, lower the heat to simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid has all been absorbed or evaporated. 
7. Mix the chopped tomatoes, herbs and lemon juice into the lentil stew.
8. Place the lentil mix into the bottom of a large casserole dish and top with the mashed potato.
9. Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.