Delicious Lentils

I was given the original version of this lentil dish from a friend of a friend of the owner of a local restaurant.  It's not on the menu so I don't feel so terrible sharing my modified, detox-friendly version of it.  Here's what you'll need:

1 jar of pasta sauce
3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 cups of water
1 onion (I use Vidalia sweets whenever I can and this recipe is no exception)
6 whole cloves of garlic
1 bag (1 lb) of uncooked lentils
4 dried bay leaves
1 lb. of lentils (I use Publix green lentils)


Wash the lentils well (I like to check mine for small rocks too) and set them aside.  In a medium/large pot, combine everything but the lentils over high heat and bring to a boil.  Add the lentils and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft (about 45 minutes to an hour).  Remove garlic, onions, and bay leaves, and serve.


It's super easy, so delicious, and easy on the budget.  The last time I made the lentils, I might have forgotten how much water it called for and only used 1 1/4 cups (the recipe calls for a full cup of olive oil but I substitute some water for olive oil).  Oops.  While it was cooking, I gradually added a cup or two of water as needed.  The lentils weren't as soft but it was still delicious and you could eat with a fork if you wanted.  You can also add more than the 4 cups of water the recipe calls for if necessary.


Normally, I add some fresh Parmesan to mine, mix it in, and sometimes pop it in the microwave to make it melt, but I won't be doing that until I'm finished with the first 30 days of detox.  It's great as a meal or a side dish and freezes really well if you need something fast and healthy on hand.  Sorry there aren't any pictures, I made it late in the day and was so sleepy and hungry and I forgot.  Next time I post a recipe, I'll try to remember to take some pictures for you.