Braised Lentils with Pumpkin & Fennel

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenBraised Lentils with Pumpkin & Fennel

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	15 minutes	Total Time	55 minutes
Servings	6	Cost Per Serving	$0.96

1 cup	French (Puy) Lentils or Green Lentils
1	Large Onion, roughly chopped
2 cups	Pumpkin or Butternut Squash, medium dice
1 cup	Fennel, roughly diced
4 cloves	Garlic, peeled and smashed
3 cups	Vegetable Stock or Water
1 tbsp	Dried Mushrooms (Shiitake or Porcini)
2	Bay Leaves
5 sprigs	Fresh Thyme
1/2 tsp	Ground Nutmeg
2 tbsp	White Wine Vinegar
2 tbsp	Pumpkin Seeds, toasted
1 1/2 tbsp	Light Olive Oil
To taste	Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer or ripple, add your onions and fennel.
Sauté the onions and fennel for about 7 minutes, until they begin to turn golden brown.
Add the garlic cloves, pumpkin (or squash), bay leaves, thyme sprigs, ground nutmeg, dried mushrooms and lentils, and stir to combine. Add the stock or water, turn up the heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender to taste.
Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, and a splash of white wine vinegar. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for Braised Lentils with Pumpkin & Fennel.

Diets that are low in red meat and high in fibre-rich foods such as legumes are associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer and are recommended for cancer survivors. Lentils are very high in fibre: a ¾ cup serving has 12 grams of fibre, half the amount most women need in a day, and one third the amount most men need each day.
If you have diarrhea or an ostomy bag, or have had a bowel obstruction, talk to your doctor or dietitian about how much fibre you should have each day.
Lentils are an excellent source of folate, a B vitamin that is needed to form red blood cells and for proper nerve function. It may also help prevent heart disease and some types of cancer.
Lentils are rich in manganese, a mineral that is needed to absorb calcium and to maintain stable blood sugar levels. It is part of superoxide dismutase (SOD), a compound which protects healthy cells from free radical damage and which may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Nutritionally speaking, various types of lentils are quite similar. Whole lentils are higher in fibre than hulled or split lentils. For the same volume, red lentils are higher in calories, fibre and protein than other types of lentils because they are thinner and more can fit into the same volume.