This hearty and filling side dish goes well with almost anything and everything. Bastyr alumna Carly Kellogg, MS ('13), RDN, who shares this recipe with us via her blog CitrusandSalt.com, says the key to making it well is cooking your lentils and sweet potatoes to the right texture or consistency. She adds that this dish has a healthy serving of fiber, folate, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium, making it a great option for people with diabetes and anemia.
INGREDIENTS
1 inch kombu
2 tsp sea salt (divided)
2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
4 medium sweet potatoes, chopped
1 cup organic brown lentils, uncooked
1⁄2 medium white onion
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Chop sweet potatoes into bite-size pieces, 1/2- to 1-inch
cubes. Place in bowl and add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and mix well.
2. Spread sweet potatoes onto foiled baking sheet and bake until soft, roughly 30-40 minutes. The
smaller your sweet potato pieces, the faster they’ll cook.
3. Place the dry lentils in a strainer and wash with cold water. Pour the lentils into a small pot and cover with water at least a couple of inches above the lentils. Add the kombu and cover the pot with a lid. Bring to a boil.
4. Once lentils have boiled, reduce heat to a simmer and cook them until soft and tender, 20-30
minutes. Do not overcook your lentils or they’ll become too mushy. Once lentils are at the desired
consistency, remove your pot from the heat source and add 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt. Mix well. Let the
lentils sit in the salt water while you prepare the other ingredients.
5. Chop the onion into small bite-size pieces to match the size of your sweet potato pieces. Spread on a
foiled baking sheet, combine with 2 teaspoons olive oil, then cook for about 15 minutes until softened and golden brown.
6. Strain your lentils and add them to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the cooked sweet potatoes and onions, then mix.
7. Add maple syrup to the mixture and taste for seasoning. Add salt to taste.
8. Transfer to serving bowl and serve hot as a side dish to your meal. Savor this warming dish with a piece of fresh salmon or tangy BBQ tofu.
