Spicy Lentil Chilli

Stewed, boiled, tossed into a salad, sprouted, sauteed or pressed into a patty for burgers, the lentil is a versatile powerhouse. Lentils are also packet full of vitamins and minerals, some of those nutrients have even been proven to be effective in fighting depression. B Vitamins, Omega 3’s, Tryptophan, Folate and Chromium, are all heavy hitters, when it comes to improving low mood and depression. So to get you eating more lentils to improve your mood and mental health, I have created a lovely spicy lentil chilli recipe that you will love. You can make big batches of it and freeze it for those days when you feel low and don’t want to cook. This recipe with give you the comport and nourishment you need when you are not feeling your 100 %

Ingredients

1 white onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
175 g of red lentils
I can of black beans or kidney beans
100g of sweetcorn (frozen or from a can)
1 can of diced tomatoes
300 ml of vegetable stock ( plus more if needed)
2 tsp of cumin
1 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of chilli powder
olive oil
salt & pepper

for serving

bunch of fresh coriander (chopped)
one half red onion (thinly sliced)
lime (cut in quarters)

Directions

1. Chop the onion and garlic and lightly sauté in a large pot with some olive oil. Add the red pepper and cook for another minute or two.

2. Add the cumin, smoked paprika, chilli powder and tomato paste to the pot and brown for 30 seconds. Now add the chopped tomatoes and the vegetable stock. Bring to a low boil over medium high heat.

3. Once boiling, add lentils and reduce heat to medium-low or low, so it's at a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes until the lentils are mostly tender.

4. Next add the sweetcorn and black beans to the chilli and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes to melt the flavours together. Stir occasionally.

5. Before you serve the chilli, chop some fresh coriander as well as red onion. Slice some lime into quarters and squeeze the juice over the red onion to sweeten the flavour of the onion and take away its sharpness. Sprinkle on top of the chilli and serve with brown rice and avocados.