I’m the type of person who would only eat side dishes if given the choice. While trying to switch to a low carb lifestyle, I had to give up a lot of the traditional sides that I love so much, mainly because most of them revolved around potatoes. Whenever I give something up, I try to come up with alternatives to replace it so that I do not feel like I’m depriving myself, but rather switching to a healthier alternative.
This recipe is a perfect low fat alternative to the high carb traditional mashed potato side dish. Red lentils are an excellent source of protein and loaded with cholesterol-lowering fiber. What makes this recipe even better is the fact that it takes only a small fraction of the time to make, as opposed to the huge amount of time and effort it takes to peel, boil, and mash actual potatoes.
For this specific recipe, make sure you stick to RED lentils. They are the ones that seem to work best when trying to achieve the “mashed potato” effect.
Start off by mixing 1 cup of red lentils with 2 cups of water in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low/simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. You will notice that the lentils will essentially mash themselves while cooking. After about 20 minutes, I stir the lentils to smooth them out in order to fully embrace the mashed texture. There you have it, they’re all done! It’s that easy. Even someone will little to no cooking experience can handle this recipe.
Once the lentils finish cooking, I personally like to add in some extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper to flavor. I’ve eaten them plain too and they’re still great! Comment below to let me know what you tried with yours! Enjoy :)
Red Lentil Mashed "Potatoes" Recipe
2013-07-04 15:14:41
This recipe is a perfect low fat alternative to the high carb traditional mashed potato side dish. Red lentils are an excellent source of protein and loaded with cholesterol-lowering fiber.
Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
20 min
Ingredients
- 1 cup red split lentils
- 2 cups water
- Olive oil (optional)
- Garlic powder (optional)
- Salt/pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Mix red lentils and water together in a large pot. Cover and heat on high until it boils. Keep covered and reduce heat to low/simmer for about 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and mix the lentils to obtain the mashed effect. Season with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper if desired.
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