Spicy lentils with cornbread

When people hear lentils the general reaction is, eeww lentils. But they don't have to be, all they need are some simple spices and you can turn lentils into a healthy, little spicy , delicious and nutritious meal. Lentils are very good for you, they are one of the highest sources of protein, so they are very important for vegetarians and people that can't afford to eat meat, that's why lentils are know as the poor man's meat. Lentils are a good source of dietary fiber, help lower your cholesterol, help to stable blood sugar, good for your heart, and high in iron, so eat your lentils!

This recipes is a morph of cornbread and beans and Indian lentil recipes. It super simple, and it just came together one day with leftover cornbread and a plain lentil soup.

Your ingredients:
2 cups (390 grams) green lentils
1 carrot, sliced
3 - 4 garlic cloves , minced
1 bay leaf
1 beef bouillon cube
6 whole cloves
6 peppercorns
1 teaspoon(5ml) of paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 or 2 dried/fresh hot chilies
3 cups (675 ml) water
1 Tablespoon(15 ml) oil

1. In a large pot warm the oil under medium heat, then add the sliced carrot and minced garlic, fry for about 5 minutes just until the garlic has cooked. Then add the bay leaf , peppercorns, whole cloves and chilies ( leave out for a non spicy version), you'll fry these for about 2 minutes, this brings out or release the flavors and scents of the spices. You'll smell the spiciness from the chili and peppercorns, and the intense scent of the cloves.

2. Have your water ready, next add the paprika, salt, bouillon and lentils. Stir to distribute all the spices and lentils. Now you can add your water to the pot, ( note for every cup of lentils you add one and half cups of water.)

3. Bring the lentils to boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and continue cooking until the lentils are soft. It depends on your taste if you want the lentils to have more of a soupy texture than you'll need to add more water. Check on them often to make sure they don't get to dry.

This recipe makes a hearty meal by serving the lentils with some smoked meat, smoked ham is what you see here, and corn bread. Or vegetarians can skip the meat and just enjoy with the cornbread.

*see cornbread recipe below*