Comfort Food - My Way

Sloppy Lentils and Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

For most people the term "comfort food" conjures up the idea of gravy laden mashed potatoes or a creamy soup, but for me the term brings to mind anything with lentils and greens. Oh, how I love lentils and greens. If you have read some of my previous posts, you may have picked that up by now.

One of my favorite combinations when I'm short on time is Sloppy Lentils from Fresh from the Vegetarian Cooker by Robin Robertson, and Balsamic Brussel Sprouts. For the lentils I simply throw everything into the slow cooker in the morning, (or the night before if I plan on having them for lunch) and set the timer so they're done when I want to eat. I love them served over a hearty bun such as an Ezekiel sesame seed sprouted grain bun.

The brussel sprouts are ready in 9-10 minutes, mostly hands-off time, and actually taste best the next day, chilled, so can easily be made in advance. Fair warning - these sprouts are addictive even if you don't usually like brussel sprouts!

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

1 pound bag of frozen brussel sprouts

1 Tbs water

1 Tbs dijon mustard

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

Combine brussel sprouts and water in a glass, covered casserole dish. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir. Microwave on high for another 4-5 minutes until done. Drain water and toss with mustard and vinegar. Serve warm or chill for later enjoyment.