New on More Good Day Oregon this week… I made this healthy family favorite: Lentil Bolognese.
Before we get to the video, let me tell you why I love this recipe…
It's savory, it's hearty, and it gets it “meaty” texture from healthy ingredients such as chopped mushrooms, lentils, and frozen cauliflower rice.
And the best part about all this is that people really love it. They don't even miss the meat!
Why are there mushrooms in this Lentil Bolognese?
Now you may be wondering: why mushrooms?
I know, mushrooms can be kind of a polarizing ingredient, but hear me out.
In this recipe, mushrooms add flavor, texture, and powerful nutrients to the dish.
Years ago, I'll admit: I didn't love mushrooms' texture. However, over time, I came to love them, probably because I cooked them with so much garlic.
But here's the real reason mushrooms are so amazing:
- Mushrooms can help reduce cancer risk. Even one mushroom daily can decrease a woman's risk for breast cancer up to 64% (Source: Dr. Joel Furhman).
- Mushrooms contain certain kinds of carbs that act as a prebiotic to improve our gut health (Source: A Critical Review on Health Promoting Benefits of Edible Mushrooms through Gut Microbiota).
- Mushrooms have been shown to complement chemotherapy and radiation therapy while also countering cancer side effects such as nausea, bone marrow suppression, and anemia (Source: Recent developments in mushrooms as anti-cancer therapeutics: a review).
Why you need lentils in your pantry
Canned or dried — lentils are an absolute staple in my pantry. They actually only take 20-30 minutes to cook from scratch, but I always have a few cans on hand for quick weeknight meals.
Lentils are a great plant based protein option if you're trying to eat less meat. Lentils are:
- High in protein — 18g in a cup.
- Low in calories.
- Low in fat.
- Cholesterol free.
- High in fiber.
- Extremely versatile to use.
- Less expensive than meat.
In addition, you can use lentils as a meat “extender” in recipes that call for ground meat. This helps you cut back on the meat content, and add fiber and nutrients to make the meal healthier — and less expensive!
You can add lentils to a soup or stew, use them to make plant based sloppy joes… or use them as the primary protein source in this Lentil Bolognese!
A few more words about this recipe
To start out the recipe, I blitzed the onion, carrot and celery in a food processor — as you would for a traditional bolognese sauce.
However, you can totally skip this step if you're short on time and you don't mind a chunkier sauce (I don't).
Also, if you don't have the nutmeg, don't fret. The recipe will be delicious without it. The nutmeg is simply a nod to the traditional bolognese preparation.
When you click over to the recipe, you'll see that I included two sets of instructions:
- Stovetop instructions.
- Instant Pot instructions.
I actually prefer using the Instant Pot because I just love the “set it and forget it” vibe.
So are you read to add another recipe to your pasta night rotation?
Great!
Just click here to check out the recipe for Lentil Bolognese. And for the step by step, see the video below!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!
Wishing you peace, love, and broccoli,
