by Karen Swan

Quick.  Easy.  Meatless and tasty.

This is one of those meals you can whip up in no time and with ingredients you have on hand.

(the batch I made for the photos was not as tomato-y as usual as I’d only a little bit of passata left, so yours should look more sauce like than mine!)

Ingredients:

1 cup brown/green lentils

1 fresh bay leaf

4 cups vegetable stock

1 brown onion

3 garlic cloves

1 carrot

1 celery stick

1 bottle of tomato passata

2 teaspoons dried oregano or basil

2 tablespoon tomato paste

Toasted pine nuts, fresh basil and parmesan cheese to serve

Method:

Lentils:  In a medium saucepan, add the stock, lentils and bay leaf and bring to the boil.  Simmer for around 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.

Meanwhile:  chop the onion, garlic, celery and carrots (I do the lot in the food processor).

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large, deep frypan and add the onion mix.

Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for a few minutes.

Drain the lentils and add to the pan.

Add the tomato passata, and dried herbs, stir and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce reaches the consistency you like.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with spaghetti or the pasta of your choice.

We often have ours over zucchini spaghetti for a ‘lighter’ meal idea.

Sprinkle with parmeasn cheese and enjoy!