I just came back from London, where I spent four awesome days with super yummy vegan food. :-) London does not only offer tons of sightseeing attractions but it also has really great restaurants for vegans and vegetarians. I still want to write a separate article about our weekend trip to London and the vegan options in England’s capital, so I’m not going to say much more, but let me tell you the food we had was just amazing!! :-) We had dinner at several exclusively vegan and vegetarian restaurants, but it’s also pretty easy to find vegan food all over the city!
Yesterday was not only my first day back home but also the first day of the new semester at university, so we only had a quick dinner, which consisted of red lentil and sweet potato spread with whole wheat bread, cucumber, tomato, radish, and cress. I really like this spread as it doesn’t require much time and is very high in nutrition. In the last couple of years, lentils have become a staple in my diet mostly because they’re such a good source of protein and pretty yummy at the same time. After a long and tiring day I’m sometimes just not in the mood to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so this quick and easy lentil spread was just perfect and we still had some time to go for an evening walk and enjoy the great weather! :-)
The recipe actually couldn’t be easier. Just cook the red lentils and the sweet potato in the same pot until they’re soft, then put them in a food processor with garlic, lemon juice, and some spices (I used curry, cumin, cilantro, and turmeric) and you got a delicious and healthy spread. If you like you can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes. The red lentil and sweet potato spread can be stored in the fridge for several days. Just make sure you put it in an airtight container. I also like eating it as a dip with fresh veggies.
Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Spread
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 pinch cilantro
- 1 pinch cumin
- salt
- pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the red lentils according to the instructions on the package. Peel the sweet potato and cut it into small cubes. Add the sweet potato cubes to the red lentils so they are both ready at the same time. The sweet potato cubes are supposed to be very soft (about 10 minutes).
- Drain the lentils and the sweet potato and transfer them into a food processor. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and the spices and process until smooth.
- Serve with whole wheat bread, tomato, cucumber, radish, and cress. Store the spread in an airtight container in the fridge.
Sien
I made this about three weeks ago, but with green lentils. It didn’t look very tasteful but oh my god, how I loved it! Making it (as we speak) with red lentils now!
Thanks for the recipe!
:-)
Jane on Whidbey
This looks just like what I need for the reduced kitchen I’m developing. I’m using an electric pressure cooker for all foods like this. I’m not vegan, but love so many vegetable-based foods. Best of luck on your endeavor! I’ll be checking in. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm and skills.
Sina
Thanks for you kind words, Jane! So glad you like my recipes! :-) I don’t have an electric pressure cooker (my kitchen is really small and unfortunately already packed with things), but I’m sure it works great for these kinds of recipes. Have a great new year!!
Megan
Ok so i’m basically falling in love with your blog and your recipes! This sounds and looks SO good! I’ve never even thought of combining sweet potatoes and lentils! Sometimes I get a little tired of putting avocado or hummus on toast and this looks like the perfect alternative :)
Sina
Thanks so much, Megan! It’s so nice to hear that you like it. <3 I just started it a while ago and it's still so small, but I just love blogging and making new recipes. I know what you mean, hummus and avocado is great, but a little change once in a while is also nice!
Lori Judson
This looks really good! I’d like to try it, but I don’t understand the measurement for the lentils.
Sina
Hey Lori,
Thank you! :-) It’s either one U.S. cup of red lentils or 120 gram (which is equal). So it depends on what type of measurement you’re using. ;-)
Sorry for the confusion, I just wanted to include both types of measurements in the recipe. I hope that helps! :-)
Best,
Sina