lentils

Autumn Chicken and Lentil Tray Bake

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After a morning walk and seeing the leaves changing colours,  I was inspired to make this because the colours looked so good together (it also tastes fantastic).

With the days getting colder and shorter this is proper comfort food but still pretty healthy with all your brightly coloured vegetables and plenty of protein from the chicken and lentils.  What makes it even better is that it’s a one pan dish meal.  

I used tinned lentils but you could boil your own if that’s what you have.  Mop up all the yummy juices with some crusty bread or spoon this over some buttery mashed potatoes and greens for the perfect Autumn comfort meal.

Serves 4

1kg Chicken thigh (bone in, I removed the skin but you can keep it on if you prefer)

3 Smallish sweet potatoes (washed, but skin left on, cut into 2cm cubes)

4 Carrots (washed but skin left on, cut into 2cm cubes)

150 Grams Butternut squash  (cut into 2cm cubes)

1 Onion (peeled and cut into 6)

100 Grams Cherry tomatoes  (cut in half)

1 Large red pepper (cut into 2cm cubes)

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Smoked paprika

1 Tsp Dried Thyme

1 Tsp Garlic powder

1 Tsp Chilli powder

2 Tbsp Oil

1 Tbsp Balsamic or cider vinegar

1   x 400 Gram Tin of Green lentils

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
  • In a large oven proof dish add the oil sweet potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash and bake for 20 minutes
  • Add everything else to the tray except the balsamic vinegar and lentils.  Mix well and bake for 30 minutes
  • Add the lentils and balsamic vinegar to the baking tray, mix again and bake for a further 10 minutes (check the chicken is full cooked), and serve with crusty bread

Coconut and Lentil Enthusiasm Soup

Seaneen's Sunnyside KitchenLeave a comment

My sister calls this enthusiasm soup (you throw everything you have at it). Meaning its a great fridge raid soup to make when it’s the week before payday and you have to use what you can find at home.

So feel free to make this your own based on what you have in the fridge/cupboards.  I was feeling kind of  lazy and chopped all the vegetables on a food processer which made this even quicker to make.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Oil

1 Tsp Cardamon seeds

1 Tsp Nigella seeds (onion seeds)

1 Tsp Ground Ginger

1 Tsp Chilli powder

2 Cloves of garlic

1 Onion

4 Carrots

4 Stalks of celery

400 Mil Can of Coconut milk

1 Vegetable stock cube

50 Grams red lentils

Salt

Method

  • Heat the oil in a large pot, add the nigella and cardamon seeds and cook until they start to pop before adding the finely chopped vegetables to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes
  • Add the lentils, a stock cube, and the rest of the spices to the pot and stir well.  Add 750 mil of water to the pot and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Pour the coconut milk into the pot and stir well, cook for another 10 minutes.  Check the seasoning and add salt if you think it needs it.

Serve with crusty bread