Also known as beluga lentils, these tiny black legumes turn deep brown when cooked. You’ll find za’atar—a Middle Eastern blend of thyme, sesame and lemony-tasting sumac—in the spice section of most large supermarkets.
Ingredients
- ²⁄3 cup (5 ounces) black lentils
- ½ bunch (7 ounces) red-stemmed chard, stems finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped
- 1 small (4 to 5 ounces) yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon za’atar spice blend
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- Juice and julienned zest of 1 small lemon
- 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes and juice
- 1 cup gluten-free vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup (6 ounces) canned chickpeas, drained
- Fine sea salt and black pepper
Directions
Cover the lentils with boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Sauté the chard stems and onions in the olive oil until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Stir in the za’atar, garlic, lemon juice, zest, tomatoes, broth and chickpeas. Drain the lentils and add to the pan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are tender, 20 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure the mixture is not drying out, adding a little water if needed.
Stir in the chard leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the leaves are just wilted and tender, another 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
Nutrition Analysis: 260 cal, 8 g fat, 0 mg chol, 580 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 14 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 13 g protein.
Gluten-Free Living Food Editor Jackie Mallorca has over a dozen cookbooks to her credit. Her latest titles include The Wheat-Free Cook and Gluten-Free Italian.
