Lentil and Chickpea Comfort Bowl recipe, from Melissa Hemsley

Join chef, cookbook author and Future Dreams ambassador Melissa Hemsley in the Dream Kitchen whipping up some healthy, wholesome and delicious batch cooking recipes. We hope you enjoy this comforting and flavoursome Lentil and Chickpea Bowl. The recipe is below the video.

Recipe

Ready in 30 minutes
Feeds 4

Top with feta or yoghurt and stir in some greens for the last few minutes of cooking. You could also roast some broccoli, cauliflower or kale and have that on top too. Whatever needs using up! Simmer it in or roast it and have it up top.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced
3 fat cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
350g red lentils, rinsed
1 x tin cooked chickpeas or other beans
1 x 400g tinned tomatoes
2 tsp tomato puree
2 tsp of dried thyme/oregano/rosemary or 1 tbsp fresh herbs or add za’atar
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp of ground cumin
chilli flakes, to taste
800ml or more of veg stock / organic chicken broth
+Spinach/ greens
sea salt & black pepper

To serve (optional)
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
a handful of feta or yoghurt
dried fruit
juice of 1/2 lemon and lemon zest

How to

Fry the onion in a medium saucepan in the ghee/coconut oil for 8 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Add the garlic, thyme, cumin, paprika, chilli and a pinch of salt and pepper for another few minutes.

Stir in the tomato puree and let it fry for a few minutes then add the red lentils, tinned tomatoes and stock/broth, stir well, pop the lid on, bring to the boil then turn down immediately to a medium simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the lentils don’t catch at the bottom.

Add the cooked chickpeas, turn up the heat and simmer strongly for another 5 -10 minutes until the lentils are soft and the soup is nice and thick. (Add 1/2 a mug of hot water if you think it needs it). I like mine thick and comforting. If it feels too soupy for you, take the lid off the pan and let it cool for 5 minutes to reduce down and thicken up.

To finish, stir through the lemon juice & season to taste then serve up each bowl, top with feta or yoghurt, a swirl of olive oil & a little chopped lemon peel/zest plus any extra fresh or dried herbs & extra chilli.