Oh goodness! I totally forgot to put up a Meat-Free Mondays recipe. Since I just started this last week, it’ll take me awhile to get the hang of it. But it’s still Monday, so here goes.

Lentils rock. They’re easier to make than most dried beans — no need to pre-soak. And they pack a major nutritional punch. One cup satisfies 35% of your daily recommended intake of protein, 89.5% of your daily folate, and and 62% of your daily fiber. Plus, they are seriously cheap.

From The World’s Healthiest Foods:

“Lentils, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. But this is far from all lentils have to offer. Lentils also provide good to excellent amounts of six important minerals, two B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. The calorie cost of all this nutrition? Just 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils. This tiny nutritional giant fills you up–not out.”

I pretty much worship lentils, and the Mediterranean Lentil Salad from The Moosewood Restaurant website is my favorite recipe. If I had to pick meal to eat from now until the end of time, this would be it. (I hope I didn’t oversell it.) Check out the recipe at MoosewoodRestaurant.com.