With the temperature dropping outside, I found myself suddenly craving heavy carbs. Hearty lentils to the rescue!

Lentils are the easiest of legumes to prepare, and a slow burning complex carb full of soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract trapping and eliminating cholesterol out of the body. And, high fiber foods like lentils have been shown to help prevent heart disease while stabilizing blood sugar. Lentils also increase your energy by boosting your iron levels.

Lentils are an excellent low cost protein source. When stored properly, dried lentils have an extremely long shelf life. They don’t need to be presoaked like other beans, and the red, yellow, and brown varieties cook in about 20 minutes. Green lentils take about 40 minutes.

It’s super simple to cook lentils:

• Rinse lentils a couple times in a bowl with water. Carefully pour out water, or drain through a sieve.
• Place 1 cup lentil to 1 ½ cups water into a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to low. Top with a lid and leave simmering for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, check lentils to see if they are tender enough for you. If not, simmer another 5 minutes, to desired texture.
• Serve lentils warm, or set aside to cool before storing in your refrigerator.

Use lentils to top salads, add to soups, serve with sauces, or blend into a hummus-like dip.

Will keep for about 3 to 4 days when stored in sealed container in fridge. You can also freeze cooked lentils.