Lentils - a delicious source of protein,
vitamins and minerals...

...help to lower cholesterol, control blood sugar and taste great on top of it all!

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Many of our recipes call for lentils of one variety or another. What are lentils and what should you know about them?

Lentils are a member of the legume family. They are also known as daal or pulse. Interestingly, lentils (Latin: lens) are lens shaped and, in fact, gave their name to the optical lens. They have been cultivated and used for many, many years.
In fact, lentils have been found in Egyptian tombs that date from 2400 BC. They come in a wide variety of colors such as green (the most common), French Green (which are a dark, speckled blue-green color), brown, red and yellow, to name just a few.

Lentils are very popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. They are gaining popularity in the West as well, though much of the time they are used in soups or stews in Western dishes. But, lentils are easily cooked and very versatile. They can be used in salads, curries, pilafs stir-fry and stuffing. Mix them with flavored breadcrumbs and use them to stuff peppers. Allow cooked lentils to chill and sprinkle them on a salad or mix them with roasted vegetables drizzled with a little grapeseed or olive oil and the seasoning of your choice. They can also be combined with garbanzo beans and mashed or put in a food processor along with a little lemon juice, celantro or parsley, garlic, sea salt and ground pepper to make an excellent hummous.

Lentils are a very good source of molybdenum and folate. One cup of lentils provides about 90% of the RDA of folic acid, more than any other unfortified food. They also provide a good amount of dietary fiber (almost 16 grams per cup) as well as manganese, iron, phosphorus, protein, copper, thiamin and potassium. They are low in fat and have zero cholesterol. In fact, they may be effective in helping to lower cholesterol. Their high fiber content helps to slow the rise of blood sugar levels as well.

Lentils are an all around great, healthy food and one of our favorites.

Try one of our lentil recipes today! Bon Appetite!

Find some great lentil recipes in our Seasonal Sensations section under Amazing Autumn recipes.










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