French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables

Meatless!  . . . Tuesday.

French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables / Bev Cooks

I’ll admit, I’m not that that creative with vegetarian cooking. Back in the day when I was jazzed about expanding my vegetarian horizons, I tried making tofu a lot. I deep fried little strips. I pan fried little squares. I slipped silken blobs into soups. I even tried baking it! But I feel the time has come to get something off my chest. One . . . two . . . three:

I do not like tofu. (That felt good!)

And I’m A-OKAY with that. (I’m an adult!)

Flushing it down the toilet. (I’m going too far!)

It doesn’t mean that I don’t WANT to get creative with veggo cookerin’, I just can’t get tofus the way I like it, so I’m not going to worry about it no’ mo’.

Besides, it leaves more room for cheese quesadillasaaaaaaam I right.

French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables / Bev Cooks  French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables / Bev Cooks

What I’m always always always game for though, is a plate/bowl/trough/mouthful of lentils. Especially the French ones. The good ones.

Lentils and rusted root- I mean roasted root vegetables. Always and forever with the roasted vegetables. Beets, carrots and sweet potatoes for this round.

It’s a simple meal, actually, but you wouldn’t know it with all the textures going on. The toothy lentils, the crunch of the apples and almonds, the tender flesh inside the roasted goods, and the finishing creamy avocado drizzle on top of everything. Ridiculous, really.

French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables / Bev Cooks

You’re like, “This would be awesome with tofu in it!”

It’s okay though. I still like you.

French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables / Bev Cooks

P.S. EAT THIS.

French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables

What it took for 2:

* 1/2 cup French lentils, picked over for boulders
* 2 small sweet potatoes, sliced into small wedges
* 2 carrots, cut into skinny sticks
* 3 small beets, cut into small wedges
* 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 Honeycrisp (or any kind you like) apple, thinly sliced
* 1/3 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted
* 1 avocado, pitted
* 3 Tbs. Greek yogurt
* 2 Tbs. lime juice
* salt and pepper
* parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Cook the lentils for about 25 minutes, until they’re tender, but not broken. Drain.

Haha, broken drain. My drain was broken last week. Anyway.

Spread the veggies on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a good pinch of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Slide into the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until everything is tender and roasted, baaaaaybay.

In the meantime, place the avocado, yogurt and lime juice in a small food processor. Puree until smooth.

Arrange the lentils on two plates and top with the roasted veggies, apple slices and toasted chopped almonds. Drizzle with avocado cream and garnish with parsley!

French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables / Bev Cooks

Actually I bet shrimp, chicken and beef would be good on this. Doh!

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27 Responses to French Lentils with Roasted Root Vegetables

  1. Sune Moolman November 18, 2014 at 6:42 am #
    This looks great! I really like roasted beets; combining it with the other root veg and the apple sounds delicious! Also, I've never had tofu, but I'm taking your word for it!
  2. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl November 18, 2014 at 6:46 am #
    I do not like tofu either. God, that DID feel good.
  3. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar November 18, 2014 at 6:49 am #
    haha, you don't have to like anything you don't want to! I like tofu, but like anything else (except chocolate...and pancakes...and anything sweet, really) I like it in small batches. This salad though - I could eat like four big ass bowls. Love it!
  4. Trisha (Stew or a Story) November 18, 2014 at 8:04 am #
    I do like tofu--but mostly when it's deep friend and thus very unhealthy. I love this healthy lunch though! Good way to get lots of veggies in the winter without having to eat a cold salad!
  5. Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog November 18, 2014 at 8:09 am #
    Ha, you're too funny about the tofu, I'll definitely always remember that now :) But if these french lentils with roasted root vegetables are your alternative, I'd take them any day! YUM!
  6. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan November 18, 2014 at 8:13 am #
    Ok so I don't loooove tofu either, but I'll gladly take this lentil/roasted veggie combo instead!
  7. kallioped November 18, 2014 at 8:30 am #
    Looks delish. Can't wait to try.
  8. Ashley November 18, 2014 at 8:40 am #
    So funny! I get the tofu thing. For whatever reason Chris and I both really like it but only eat it once a week or less. Definitely on a huge lentil kick right now. The texture is fab. Love the look of this dish!
    • Bev Weidner November 18, 2014 at 8:42 am #
      ONCE A WEEK? That's way too much tofu, girl. ;)
  9. Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain November 18, 2014 at 11:22 am #
    Once upon a time, the hubs and i tried tofu. His response , "babe, this tastes like a wet sponge." So we have been living tofu free ever since. Lentils, are wayyyyyyyy better!
  10. Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy November 18, 2014 at 12:06 pm #
    Mmm this looks so hearty! Love that avocado crema, too!
  11. Averie @ Averie Cooks November 18, 2014 at 12:39 pm #
    This looks so healthy and awesome and makes me want seconds and thirds! Pinned :)
  12. Millie l Add A Little November 18, 2014 at 1:10 pm #
    This looks amazing and would make great leftovers for lunch I'm sure!
  13. Eileen November 18, 2014 at 2:34 pm #
    Hey, there is no reason this salad needs tofu! It already has plenty of protein via lentils, right? There. No tofu required. And it looks delicious!
  14. Sheila November 19, 2014 at 10:56 am #
    I'm with you tofu shmofooo...blurky. I never even tried to like it. It's weird stuff. But now lentils and beans haul them on in. I love roasted veggies and we love all beans big and small. This looks amazing Bev!
  15. Paula - bell'alimento November 19, 2014 at 12:40 pm #
    I'm gonna need a big arse bowl of this!
  16. Heather November 20, 2014 at 12:56 pm #
    I want this so much!
  17. Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life November 21, 2014 at 12:19 am #
    I'm a full time vego of about four years now, and in that time I think I've eaten tofu twice. I am not about that amorphous blobby thing at all. Give me beans, and eggs, and cheese (cos quesadillaaaam you are right Bev!). This lentil dish is exactly something you would find on my table (or in my lunchbox because I need to brighten up this here cube with delish eats). I can't wait to load up on root veggies and make some beautiful lentil love this weekend!
  18. Jennifer @ The Foodie Patootie November 21, 2014 at 8:59 pm #
    What a relief to hear (read) someone say (type) that they don't like tofu. I don't either! It's just this little white square that tastes like nothing!
  19. MD July 20, 2015 at 6:52 pm #
    Made this for dinner, and we could not BELIEVE how delicious this was. I added a quartered onion, and it was spectacular. We're avid meat-eaters, and were not missing that component at all...though you're right, shrimp or cubes of medium-rare flank steak would be a great addition!
  20. lea September 7, 2015 at 2:12 pm #
    Took me a lot of effort to like tofu.....but I'm a fan now. It's taken me a long time to make friends with beets.....but I'm almost there.... The combination of flavours in this recipe sound scrumptious... I may even add smoked tofu just to have a private laugh......
  21. MPaula September 16, 2016 at 11:23 pm #
    I did like tofu; pressing to remove as much water as possible and adding strong flavours like garlic, ginger and chillis helped. Asian stores had puffed fried cubes that I could drop whole in soups. I had one special recipe that even a tofu-hating friend liked. Then I read so many articles saying that unless soy was fermented, it was bad for women because of ill effects on hormones. I gave up tofu and soy milk. I still use fermented soy: soy sauce and miso. Any and all fermented food seems to be a blessing for nutrition and digestion.
  22. Libby May 13, 2017 at 3:43 pm #
    Soy (tofu) is an excitotoxin even if it is organic and full of heavy metals. Pretty gnarly, especially as a liquid (i.e. infant formulas-yikes!) Dr. Russell Blaylock has a good book detailing the dangers of soy it's called 'Excitotoxins." Happy lentiling!
  23. Gail September 1, 2017 at 10:39 pm #
    I made this for dinner tonight! Delicious. My almost two year old was mowing it with me while my four year old ate chickfilet (super picky). My drizzling skills suck and I ended up dolluping (is that how you spell that word?) the avocado dressing (whoops) and I forgot the apple slices until about halfway through the meal...but it was still a success because my husband devoured it. Oh and my two year old. We are working at the food thing with the four year old. Please don't judge the chick filet...I got a milkshake out of it ;) PS- yesterday I made your Brie and artichoke dip. It was so good. I couldn't stop eating it.

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