Lentil Sloppy Joes
serves 4 - 6
1 cup uncooked lentils
4 cups water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced small
1/2 cup bell pepper, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste (or half of 6 oz. can)
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard (or your favorite)
whole wheat hamburger buns (or buns of your choice)
Rinse lentils and put them in a small saucepan along with the water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer and let it cook for another 15 minutes. (My lentils seem to cook really fast, so at this point check to see if yours are tender or need a little more time. Most cookbooks say about 20 - 30 minutes. Mine takes about half that time. You don't want them to be mushy - you want them to still hold their shape.) Once lentils are soft, drain and sit aside.
As the lentils are cooking, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and saute for about a minute more.
Stir in the cooked lentils, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the maple syrup and mustard, and heat through.
Serve on hamburger buns either open faced, or as a sandwich.
