[DIAPORAMA] Good news for vegetarians who don’t eat red meat: lentils are a legume that can also provide you with iron. To easily include them in the menu, here are 9 recipes prepared with an 800 gram jar of lentils. Just drain them and it’s (almost) done.
Anemia, constant fatigue can be curbed with foods rich in iron. Provided, however, that the foods are well related to each other, because if some are allies, others can be considered true antagonists, as they reduce the absorption of iron by the body.
What are the best sources of iron?
Red meats and offal (such as blood and liver) and seafood can fill you with iron. Consume in combination with plant sources of iron such as beans, white beans, chickpeas and, of course, lentils.
They’ve got it all: cheap, ultra-satiating jarred lentils are also an excellent source of fiber (5g per 100 g), protein (9 g for 100 g) and vegetable iron. With their low glycemic index (25) and their 99 calories per 100 g, they are also real allies for weight loss that you should regularly include in the menu!
And above all, they are perfect when you don’t have time to cook. Therefore, when buying, natural lentils are preferred, preferably packed in a glass jar, not in metal boxes. On the other hand we check their salt content, which ranges from single to triple depending on the brand, so choose the least salty. Rinsing them under running water at the outlet of the jar also allows some of them to be eliminated. And to regularly include these small legumes in the menu, we are inspired by these ideas receipts !
- We eat them with :dBoiled (cabbage, cauliflower, etc.) and raw vegetables, because their vitamin C helps to absorb and store the iron contained in lentils. Just like the citrus fruit or the kiwi we’ll have for dessert.
- We avoid : tea (when you drink more than a liter a day), red wine, chocolate, coffee… which are known to delay the good absorption of iron.
When should you supplement?
Only with clearly proven iron deficiency and if the diet fails to compensate for the deficiency. This may be the case for adolescent girls or women who have heavy periods. But only your doctor can assess and adapt the dosage for each individual case.
Read also:
2/9 –
Lentil and baby spinach salad
Take the peels of 2 oranges, cut them into cubes. Slice 1 radicchio. Wash and spin 2 nice handfuls of baby spinach. Mix everything in a salad bowl with 1 jar of drained lentils. In 1 bowl, mix the juice of 1 orange with 4 tbsp. spoons of olive oil, 3 tbsp. sherry, 1 pinch of turmeric, salt and pepper. The salad is seasoned, mixed and served with hard-boiled eggs.
© Getty Images
3/9 –
Dal from lentils
Brown 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger and 2 minced garlic cloves in 1 tbsp. tablespoon of olive oil. Add 2 tbsp. coffee curry, stir and pour 40 cl of tomato coulis. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 8 minutes. Add 1 jar of drained lentils and 20cl of coconut cream. Salt, pepper and heat gently. Serve with rice and fresh cilantro.
© Getty Images
4/9 –
Lentil and mushroom salad
Mix ½ jar of drained lentils with 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ bunch of cilantro, 1 tbsp. ground cumin, ½ tsp. salt and pepper. Add 4 tbsp. tablespoon of chickpea flour and mix well. Form into balls with wet hands. Put them in a tray covered with baking paper, brush them with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes at 180°C (th. 6), turning them occasionally. Serve with lemon yogurt and green salad.
© Getty Images
9/5 –
Lentil croquettes
Peel 300 g of potatoes, cut into cubes and steam them. Crush them with 1 jar of drained lentils. Add 1 egg, 1/2 bunch chopped parsley, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 40 g grated pecorino, 3 tbsp. starch and black pepper. Form balls, flatten them slightly. Dip them in a beaten egg, then mash them in the polenta. Fry in a pan, 3 minutes on each side, in a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with a salad of young sprouts.
© Getty Images
6/9 –
Vegetarian minced meat
Stew 400 g of diced potatoes and celery. Pass through a potato press. Soften the preparation with milk. Salt, pepper and add 1 pinch of nutmeg. In a pan, sauté 1 chopped onion in a drizzle of olive oil. Add 1 jar of drained lentils and heat gently. Pour into a gratin pan, cover with mashed potatoes, add pieces of butter and bake for 15 minutes at 200°C (th 6-7). Serve with green salad.
© Getty Images
7/9 –
Lentil rillettes
Fry 60 g of sunflower seeds in a pan without adding fat. Peel and finely chop 1 large onion. Fry it in a drizzle of olive oil until soft. Coarsely mix ½ jar of drained lentils with the sunflower seeds, ½ tsp. soy sauce and 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Add cooked onion, black pepper, mix and serve with sourdough bread and pickles.
© Getty Images
8/9 –
Lentils with haddock
Bring 1 pot of milk to the boil, add 4 haddock fillets, turn off the heat and let them cook 10 min. Peel and chop 1 large onion. Sauté it in a pan with 1 drizzle of olive oil. Peel and cut 2 beautiful carrots into thin circles. Sauté them for 2 minutes with the onion and a little thyme. Add 1 jar of drained lentils. Heat gently and serve with the haddock.
© Getty Images
9/9 –
Lentils Chile
Chop 2 white leeks and melt them 10 min. on low heat in a casserole with a drizzle of olive oil. Add 2 thinly sliced carrots and 400g peeled and diced turnips. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. cajun spices. Brown in 5 minutes. Add 2 jars of crushed tomatoes and 1 jar of drained lentils. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with chopped chives.