Lentil Sloppy Joes

You ever have those days where you get home from work and REALLY don't want to make dinner? Days where a bowl of popcorn sounds like a perfectly nutrition meal? Today was that day for me. I even had all of the ingredients and a plan to make these, but just couldn't bear the thought of cooking.

Well, of course, I ended up making this recipe. And boy, am I glad I did! Not only did it literally take me about 20 minutes from start to finish, but it's really quite tasty!

See, my mom used to make sloppy joes all the time for us when I was growing up. It's been years since she made it (probably due to the fact that neither of us eat meat anymore), so I wanted to come up with a vegetarian version.

What I love about this dish is that it's quick, it's easy, it's nutritious, and all of these ingredients can be in your pantry when you need a speedy meal. Although the picture doesn't really say much, I can guarantee you the flavor will knock your socks off! If you're not a lentil fan, substitute any tvp or soy meat substitute. And although these are served traditional-style on a bun, I think they'd be awesome over rice as well.



Lentil Sloppy Joes
Serves 6-8

1 cup red lentils
2 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
2-3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1 tsp Louisiana-style hot sauce

In a small saucepan, combine lentils and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes, until tender but still a bit of bite left to them. In the meantime, heat olive oil in medium pan. Add onion and bell pepper, and saute for 3-5 minutes, until slightly tender. Add remaining ingredients, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are done. Add lentils to pot, allow to simmer just a few minutes more, and serve.

This is also part of Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays hosted over at Blessed With Grace. Be sure to check it out for more tasty recipes!