Where did the time go? It is that time again for Secret Recipe Club. I got Denise’s blog Eat Laugh Love. There is a treasure trove of recipes everyone will enjoy. Denise’s approach to food is pretty simple. Local if possible and very little processed foods. That is how she cooks for her family. She cooks almost every night even though she works outside the home. Her husband Craig AKA wine guy and son Connor are her official taste testers and sous chefs. They even do dishes.
Like a lot of us, she has quite the cookbook collection. We all justify purchasing a cookbook if there are at least one recipe we can use.
So, if she is not cooking for her family or working fulltime she is teaching a nutrient class through Share Our Strength Cooking Matters, she is also on the board of a St Louis organization called Food Outreach. It provides nutritional support to people living with aids and cancer.
I decided to make her Lentil Sloppy Joes. It was pure genius on Denise’s part to replace the beef with lentils in this kid friendly meal. This is a perfect Lent recipe and I think it is also very kid friendly which is a win win for everyone!
Sloppy Joe Sliders
Ingredients:
1 cup dried lentils, picked over (not red lentils; they would get too mushy)
1 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
15 ounce canned tomatoes
1/4 cup + 1 table spoon tomato paste
3/4 cups onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cups)
1T apple cider vinegar
1T garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1T chili powder
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or more depending on your tastes)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker; stir until well combined and cook on high, covered, for 3 to 4 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low, depending how fast your device cooks.
Taste test to ensure lentils are cooked through. If not, cover and cook in 30 minute increments until soft.
If too much liquid remains, cook on high without the lid for 30 to 60 minutes, keeping in mind these thicken as it sits.
Peace be with you,
Veronica
