Lentils

Picture from Mind Body Green.

Lentils are found in the grocery aisle next to the beans.  You can buy them canned or dry (I get them dry).  Before cooking, pick through them and throw out any rocks (you only find them now and then...but they would be bad news in your guest's mouth!).  Rinse them in a sieve (most colanders' holes are too big) until the water beneath the sieve flows clear (this sounds like a lot of work, but it's really about 5 min).  If you don't rinse, you'll end up with a slight dirt/metal-y taste to your dish.

There are several types of lentils, but the most common are red lentils and brown lentils.

Red lentils

• slightly smaller
• take a little less time to cook than brown
• a little more expensive than brown
• lose their shape when cooked and turn mushy
• best for purees

Brown lentils

• easy to find in almost any grocery store
• cheap
• hold shape a little better than red when cooked but...
• still puree just as well as red lentils

To Cook
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c water or broth
• 1/2 c lentils
• 1/4 t salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15-20 min.  Yield: about 1 1/2 c cooked lentils.

Also try making lentil rice as a nutrition booster in place of regular cooked rice.

For baby:
Stage 2: 6-9 months
Mash or puree cooked lentils.  Mix with vegetables, yogurt, mild seasoning, etc.