Lentils have been around for centuries and are popular in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and India. They are a type of legume and great plant-protein source. Along with protein, lentils provide B vitamins, magnesium, folate, fiber, iron, and zinc.
Ingredients
Lentils
- 1 cup (any color)
Onion
- 1 large
Garlic
- 3 cloves
Vegetable-Broth
- 1¼ cups vegetable broth (low sodium)
Bay-Leaves
- 2 large
Black-pepper
- ½ teaspoon
Greek-seasoning*
- 1 teaspoon
Tomatoes
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
Bell-peppers
- 2 large (different colors)
Cheese
- ¾ cup feta cheese (divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup)
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Use a 3-5 quart casserole dish with a tight fitting lid.
Step 2
Rinse and pick over the lentils and add to the casserole dish.
Step 3
Chop the onions and mince the garlic. Add to the lentils along with the broth, bay leaf, black pepper, and Greek seasoning. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
Step 4
While the lentils bake, finely chop the belle peppers and crumble the Feta (if not already crumbled).
Step 5
After 45 minutes of baking, uncover the lentils and stir in the whole can of tomatoes (do not drain first). Cover and bake for another 15 minutes.
Step 6
After 15 minutes of baking, uncover the lentils and mix in the bell peppers and ½ cup feta. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup Feta over the top, cover and bake for a final 15 minutes.
Step 7
Serve hot!
Notes
* For the Greek seasoning, you can purchase a premixed option, or make your own with the ingredients below:
Greek Seasoning Mixture
INGREDIENT (all dried) AMOUNT
Salt- 2 tsp
Garlic powder- 2 tsp
Basil- 2 tsp
Oregano- 2 tsp
Cinnamon- 1 tsp
Black pepper- 1 tsp
Parsley- 1 tsp
Rosemary- 1 tsp
Dill- 1 tsp
Marjoram- 1 tsp
Cornstarch- 1 tsp
Thyme- ½ tsp
Nutmeg- ½ tsp