Lentil Couscous with Spinach

With the double-whammy of lentils and couscous, this makes a filling vegan entree! Divide it into smaller portions if you prefer a side dish, say alongside tofu steaks or grilled tempeh.

Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add 1 cup chopped onion; saute 5 minutes. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and saute 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Next add 1 cup water and 1/2 cup uncooked lentils (I chose standard green lentils, but I suppose any variety would do); bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

I accidentally added my onion and garlic all at the same time - a classic case of not having read the recipe carefully enough. Luckily, it was a small error that made no difference in the final product.

Towards the end of the lentils' cook time, bring 1 cup water to a boil in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup uncooked couscous and 1 tablespoon olive oil; remove from heat. Add 1o cups (about one 5-ounce package) of fresh spinach to the pan; cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Combine the lentil mixture with the spinach mixture in a large bowl, along with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.

As I mentioned, make the portions as big as you like - 2/3 a cup is a good side serving of 160 calories, but double that to make this recipe a main course.

Cost:
onion $0.82
dried lentils $1.57
fresh spinach $2.50