Next time you are at the gym, doctors office or books store, don’t forget to pick this months AustinFit Magazine. AustinFit Magazine Nov 2014 issue has my published article. Check out  the many health benefits of Lentils besides their versatility to make quick dinners. Also included is a recipe of Tadka Dal. I am happy about  the colorful end product in the magazine, and proud of my food styling besides the article. It was a fun  photo shoot in my very own kitchen too.  Thanks to photography by Brian Fitzsimmons, Art Director Weston Carls and Editor Leah Nyfeler.

http://www.austinfitmagazine.com/November-2014/Quick-and-Healthy-LentilsThats-Dal/

http://www.austinfitmagazine.com/November-2014/Tadka-Dal/

Quick & Healthy Lentils- That’s Dal!

What is your requirement for quick, healthy weeknight dinner?  If you think fresh, healthy food, fast, sounds like too perfect a requirement for any  dinner, then you may not know the magic of lentils. Dal or lentils don’t make magic like in Jack and the Beanstalk story but provide the gifts of good health besides your delicious dinner  fast.

Lentils have beneficial nutrients like high fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins, yet have low fat calories. Lentils or ‘dals’ are whole beans or legumes which are often peeled and split. The word ‘dal’ is derived from Sanskrit verbal root word ‘dal’- ‘to split’.  ‘Dal’ is also another name of an Indian puree/ soup/  curry which is made from these lentils!

There are various types, colors, sizes of lentils which can be made into amazing recipes, each with a delicious and distinctive flavor. Lentils can be a base for soups, stews, salads, burgers, casseroles, pilafs, appetizers, side dishes and main entrees. They are part of many cuisines like, Mediterranean, Mexican, French, American and an important staple in Indian cooking.

Benefits of Eating Lentils

• Lentils are high in protein with over 25% of its calories being protein.  Hence they are considered best source of protein for vegans and vegetarians. Lentils unlike meat provide protein without fat calories.
• Lentils are also almost fat free, containing 1 gram of fat and  about 230 calories for a cup of lentils. Hence it’s popular with diet and calorie conscious people on a weight loss program.  Lentils have complex carbohydrates, resistant starch, protein and fiber hence known to provide slow burning energy and increases metabolism.
• Lentils have high levels of soluble fiber hence reduces cholesterol and triglycerides, lowers blood sugar and with its nutrients is known as heart healthy food. The dietary fiber in lentils also helps in stomach and digestive issues like constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Lentils are good source of Iron, Folate ( vitamin B) and Magnesium besides other nutrients like manganese,  phosphorous,  zinc, copper, and potassium. Iron helps in prevention of anemia. While Folic acid aids in cell growth,  and helps in preventing fractures, osteoporosis, arthritis, inflammations, and repair and growth of body. It’s very essential for women, especially pregnant women. Magnesium helps relax the smooth muscles, relaxes and reduces stress in body and mind. It reduces cramps, stiffness and even uplifts moods.

There are many types of lentils. Each cuisine adopts different ones for different recipes.  But lentils  are largely versatile hence while cooking one can interchange and substitute different lentils to make the recipe different each time, while they can also be a replacement as a low glycemic grain substitute.

The green whole Mung beans when split and husked are small yellow split lentil or ‘Mung dal’. Green Mung when soaked and sprouted is very nutritious and popularly used in salads. The split Mung cooks very quickly, and good to make soups, stews, Pilafs or lentil-rice casseroles.

While the black whole beans when split and husked make the ivory white lentil or ‘Urad dal’. The black or white dal when boiled and cooked makes a great side or salad as they are more firm.  The white lentil flour is used to make  lentil crepes/ dosa, rice and lentil steamed cakes/idlis and  lentil fritters/vadas in Indian cuisine.

There are many kinds of  brown/olive green  lentils, German, Indian, Spanish, continental and more.  The brown lentils cook to a mushy consistency hence great for soups and stew but also used in making lentil burgers and sloppy Joes.

There are many kinds of yellow lentils, the Indian pigeon peas are split to medium yellow lentils/Tuar dal , while the black chickpeas split to large yellow lentils/Chana dal.  Both are great for  quick soups and stews.   The large yellow lentils is good for  pilafs, casseroles, stuffing, and  its flour can make  flat breads, dumplings, falafels, fritters etc.

The small dark green French lentil  also called Puy lentils/‘lentilles vertes du Puy’ are perfect for salads as they are tougher and stay firm after cooking.

The Mexican macachiados are large yellow lentils  used in chilis and stews  but take longer to cook.

The red lentils are again very mushy when cooked and great for  stews and soups like tadka dal( recipe included)

Lentils are available in most grocery stores or specific ones can be found  in Indian, Mexican, middle eastern  groceries or Whole Foods and Trader Joes. Of all the kinds available, lentils which are split and their  hull removed have less fiber but cook faster than whole lentils or beans, while the red lentils cook the fastest.

Its time you add lentils to your pantry to eat a fresh, healthy and delicious dinner fast. And be fit. Austin Fit!