When I first went vegan, this one-pot coconut curried lentils, rice, and greens recipe was one of the very first dishes I created, and it’s still a favorite at our house. We eat this for a whole hoard of occasions. When we are lacking motivation to cook, when we need to feed a large table of people (it’s great for making in bulk!), when it’s cold and we crave a comforting meal, when our bodies tell us we can benefit from a protein-packed meal (such as if we have an injury that needs carbs and protein to be repaired) — to name a few!
In just one pot, it packs SO much of the good stuff for a healthy vegan diet – like beneficial garlic and onion, high-fiber lentils, whole-grain brown rice, and antioxidant-rich green leafy vegetables. You really get a nutritious bang for your buck. And, it’s just really delicious – which is really important in our house.
Years ago, when I was a vegetarian, I “learned” that to get complete proteins, you have to combine beans or legumes with grains. Everyone knows that, right? Turns out, that’s wrong! While it’s great that this dish contains both lentils and brown rice, it looks like folks who promote the “protein combining myth” are full of beans!
Individually, beans, legumes, and grains are already a complete protein source. Who knew?! And, holy wow vegans, what a relief!
Kale or spinach work equally well in this recipe. (I never realized how many kale haters were out there until I published my kale mushroom bread pudding recipe!) I usually go for the kale because it not only benefits the immune system, it’s one of those veggies (like tomatoes) that’s even better for you when cooked. Great news for me, since I like my kale cooked anyway.
Of course you could skip the greens altogether and this dish would still be perfectly wonderful. But why would you?! They’re gorgeous and good for you! So unless the fridge is empty and you’re limited to pantry ingredients, I say go for the greens!
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:105]This recipe was republished with permission from Elizabeth Shah, Healthy Midwestern Girl.
This post was last modified on December 15, 2020 7:32 am