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May 15, 2019 By Joe Carei for The 5 min read

When kids go off to college, they evolve in many ways, and some ways it involves their diet.

My daughter, who loved chicken and made sure that I made the very best fried chicken around, came home a vegetarian. She is still a top-notch athlete, so we are making sure she is making correct nutritious choices and have made many suggestions.

So, as usual, when suggesting a power packed food source for an active person, I look no further than the lentil. Not only was it one of the first cultivated crops, is it a superfood full of carbs, fiber and iron. It is also cheap and has a long shelf life. And, on a side note, it is called a lentil because it resembles the lens of your eye.

Although not that popular in this area, it is pretty popular all over the world. In India, it is usually known as dal or daal and it is very popular in the Indian diet. It is also prevalent in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and African cooking.

A lentil is part of a group of legumes also known as pulse. A pulse is a dry legume that grows in a pod of one to 12 seeds. It includes lentils as well as beans, chickpeas and peas. Unlike legumes such as peanuts and soy, for example, pulses are low in fat and very high in protein and fiber.

When it comes to lentils, there are several different kinds and are identified by their color. The most common is brewerÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ lentil, which are brown. There are green lentils and French green lentils. The latter is firmer and keeps its shape best when cooked. There are yellow lentils and black lentils, which are also called beluga lentils because they are small and resemble caviar. Another popular lentil is the red lentil; it is softer and sweeter and is usually used in soups or pureed.

Lentils are nothing to be scared of, but you may want to slowly integrate them in to your menus as to not shock the family. You can even hide them in soups, casseroles and even mashed potatoes. Eventually, you will be brave enough to create salads, side dishes and eventually main dishes.

Although easy to cook, different lentils may take different cooking times. Unlike beans, there is no need to soak lentils before preparation. Lentils may take as short as 10 minutes (split red lentils) and as long as 30 (French Green). The older the lentil, the longer it may take.

Although lentils have a slightly nutty taste, they usually take up flavor from the liquid in which they are cooked. It can be as simple as a bay leaf and stock or more complex like a mirepoix and bone broth. Round about rule of thumb is 3 cups liquid to one cup of lentils. I bring mine to a just a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Brown lentils are found in most supermarkets. Red and green are the next most prevalent. To get a rainbow of colors, you may need to go to a specialty store or Indian grocery. Store your lentils in a sealed package or airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place. Over time, the stored beanÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ color may fade a little, but the flavor will not. For the best flavor and presentation, use dried lentils within one year. Cooked lentils will last a week in the fridge and you can freeze cooked lentils for up to six months.

On the home front, I guess I should be glad my daughter just became a vegetarian. My brother, after his freshman year, bought a van, followed a girl out to Colorado and never came back.

Pasta Fagiole(ntil)

1 one onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

2 celery stalk, diced

2 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup lentils

1 pound tomatoes diced or 2 cans diced tomatoes in juice

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dry basil or 2 tablespoon chopped fresh

½ pound diatini pasta or any small pasta cooked

12 ounces pepperoni or sausage (optional)

Parmesan cheese

Sweat diced vegetables with olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes, stock and lentils and bring to boil. Add herb and spices and lower to simmer. Simmer @ 20 minutes. Add pasta and sausage if desired. Serve and top with parmesan cheese.

Cheddar and Lentil Potatoes

2 pounds of peeled russet potatoes

2/3 cup red or yellow lentils

2 tablespoon minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

2 tablespoon butter

1 cup sharp cheddar

6 cups water for boiling

Put cubed potatoes in pot with lentils and water. Boil until soft. Drain. Mash with butter, onion salt and pepper. Fold in cheddar cheese.

Lentil Greek Salad

½ cup green lentils

1 cup diced carrots

1 medium red onion, diced and divided

2 clove garlic, minced and divided

½ teaspoon dried oregano or 2 teaspoon fresh

2 cups water

1 cucumber diced

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

3 tablespoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled

Romaine lettuce (optional)

In sauce pan, bring water, lentils, carrots, ½ the onions, one clove garlic and herb to a boil. Then let simmer until lentils are just done but still firm. Drain and let cool. In bowl, whisk lemon juice and oil to emulsify adjust taste with salt and pepper. Toss in cucumber, tomatoes and lentil mix. Lastly, toss with feta. Serve over lettuce if desired.