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Sofrito Criollo Lentils

Prep 15 min
Total 35 min
Ingredients 16
Servings 8

As the lady of the house, as wives, mothers, executives and friends, sometimes we are left with the sensation that we need more than 24 hours to take on all the different tasks at hand (not to mention taking a few free minutes out of the day for ourselves). Luckily, in the kitchen we can simplify some of our work once in a while, freezing leftover portions of our favorite recipes. Freezing certain meals is ideal to take a load off of our daily to-do list, and it’s an easy and effective way to always be prepared for the unexpected. When it comes to saving time and simplifying life, you can cook food for the whole week and freeze it to free up time that could otherwise be spent on other activities, without neglecting your family’s diet. One such nutritious and perfect meal to be frozen ahead of time is this lentil recipe with a criollo stir-fry. Lentils freeze well when stored in an airtight container. A nice bowl of lentils is, in and of itself, a complete meal that leaves everyone satisfied thanks to the quantity and quality of its ingredients. Here’s a homemade lentil dish, my recipe, with an extra dash of affection, which is the most essential ingredient in any recipe.

Ingredients

3 cups lentils
6 cups water
1 small piece country bacon (or 4 bacon slices)
Chorizo
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk (only the green part, finely chopped)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (or a can of Muir Glen™ Diced Tomatoes)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium carrot, finely cubed
1/2 green plantain, finely cubed

Directions

1

In a large, deep dish, rinse the lentils under the water faucet to get rid of any dirt or stones.
2

Put 6 cups of fresh water in a pot along with the rinsed lentils and set aside for later.
3

Stir-fry the bacon and chorizo in a medium-sized, non-stick frying pan. Incorporate the chopped onion and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Add the red and green peppers and cook for 3 more minutes before mixing in the celery, tomatoes, garlic, green onion and cilantro with a wooden spoon. Season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes.
4

Add this stir-fry to the pot of lentils and cook over medium heat. Add the carrots and plantains to the mix, and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the lentils have softened and the grains have separated. If necessary, add more water and salt and pepper, to taste.
5

Let the lentils cool, store in an airtight container that can be stored in the freezer. Freeze the lentils for up to one week.
6

When you’re ready to serve this dish, scoop out the desired portions and thaw out on the stove or in the microwave, returning frozen lentils to freezer to serve at a later date.

Expert Tips

This meal is delicioso accompanied with white rice.
Try adding some sugar, or even some hot pepper sauce to the dish.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

As the lady of the house, as wives, mothers, executives and friends, sometimes we are left with the sensation that we need more than 24 hours to take on all the different tasks at hand (not to mention taking a few free minutes out of the day for ourselves). Luckily, in the kitchen we can simplify some of our work once in a while, freezing leftover portions of our favorite recipes. Freezing certain meals is ideal to take a load off of our daily to-do list, and it’s an easy and effective way to always be prepared for the unexpected. When it comes to saving time and simplifying life, you can cook food for the whole week and freeze it to free up time that could otherwise be spent on other activities, without neglecting your family’s diet. One such nutritious and perfect meal to be frozen ahead of time is this lentil recipe with a criollo stir-fry. Lentils freeze well when stored in an airtight container. A nice bowl of lentils is, in and of itself, a complete meal that leaves everyone satisfied thanks to the quantity and quality of its ingredients. Here’s a homemade lentil dish, my recipe, with an extra dash of affection, which is the most essential ingredient in any recipe.