The contrast of colour makes this an eye-appealing meal for all ages. With slightly crisped lentils, kale, and nuts, it delivers on all textures as well. Topped with a creamy, lemony mayo, it’s pucker-y delicious.
Our roasted veggies are mild flavoured for young eaters. If serving to an “adults only” crowd, jazz up the squash and broccoli with some harissa paste, curry powder, or a generous dusting of chili powder before roasting.
Colourful Roasted Veggies and Lentils with Crisped Kale and Creamy Vegan Mayo
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 mL) dried Puy lentils
- 1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt, divided
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled
- 3 cups (750 mL) peeled butternut squash, cut into 3/4 in (2 cm) dice
- 2 cups (500 mL) bite-sized pieces of broccoli florets
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra
- 2 tsp (10 mL) flaked dried garlic, plus extra (optional)
- 1 small bunch curly leaf kale, ribs removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) pepitas or raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) soft plain tofu
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) kosher salt
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories288
- protein12g
- fat13g
- saturated fat2g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates34g
- sugars3g
- fibre12g
- sodium507mg
Directions
01
Have all vegetables prepped and ready to cook before commencing.
02
In fine-meshed sieve, rinse lentils, removing any tiny stones and possible debris. In large saucepan, bring 4 cups (1 L) water to a boil. Add rinsed lentils, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt, and garlic clove. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, or just until lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Itu2019s best to be slightly undercooked. Drain well, reserve garlic clove, and set lentils aside.
03
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Lightly oil rimmed baking sheet or line with parchment. In large bowl, toss squash and broccoli with oil to lightly coat. Spread out on baking sheet and sprinkle with flaked garlic. Bake in centre of preheated oven for 25 minutes, stirring with spatula a couple of times so they bake evenly.
04
While squash and broccoli are roasting, use your fingertips to rub a little oil and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt into kale. When squash has roasted for 25 minutes, scatter cooked lentils and kale overtop and roughly stir in. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Return baking sheet to oven and continue to roast for 10 more minutes, or until kale is crispy and vegetables are slightly caramelized.
05
To make Creamy Vegan Mayo, in small high-powered blender, combine all ingredients. Add softened garlic from cooked lentils. Alternatively, add generous pinches of flaked dry garlic. Whirl until smooth and creamy. Add more seasonings, to taste, if you wish.
06
To serve, place roasted veggies and seeds on platter. Drizzle with Creamy Vegan Mayo. Add more seasonings, to taste, if you wish.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Turkey Enchilada Stuffed Poblano Peppers
In this enchilada riff, we stuff everything into a roasted poblano pepper shell, rather than tortillas, to pack an extra veggie serving into your meal and trim the starchy calories. If you can’t find poblanos, which are mild, dark green Mexican peppers, you can substitute green bell peppers. Flour power Made from nixtamalized corn (corn soaked in limewater), masa harina flour adds a touch of corny flavour to enchilada stuffing or a pot of chili.
Crab Cap Salad
These crab-stuffed portobello mushrooms can do double duty as a fancy starter for a casual dinner party or a light main course on any given night. Meaty and umami-rich portobellos serve as a holder for a light-tasting seafood salad. Gills begone Even though the gills of mushrooms are edible, they will darken and discolour everything they touch. Besides, after you scrape out the gills, you’ll have more room for stuffing. And don’t discard the stems; they can be saved and used when making veggie stock.
Curried Lentil Stuffed Squash
Serving saucy lentils in squash halves is a sure-fire way to elevate your plant-based menu. And, yes, the whole bowl is edible, skin and all. If desired, you can add dollops of Greek yogurt or sour cream. Spice of life Garam masala, a blend of spices traditionally used in Indian cooking, usually includes cardamom, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, fennel, cumin, and coriander. It’s great on roasted meats and vegetables.
Kartoffelknödel Potato Dumplings Stuffed with Toasted Bread and Spinach
“Germans do potatoes in general very well,” says Canadian expat Chris Gilles, who now lives in Munich and has celebrated many an Oktoberfest there. “Knödel seem kind of rubbery. You don’t really think it’s potato when you first see it, but it’s tasty.” But he might be surprised to find that this alive -inspired version of Bavarian potato dumplings is made with a combination of potato and cauliflower, because as anyone who’s eaten cauliflower gnocchi knows, the low-carb vegetable is a great way to lighten up starch-heavy foods (and Biergarten menus). Happy Knödelfest! The original version of these snacks are so popular that it even gets its own food fest: Knödelfest, which happens in September in Austria, about a 1 1/2-hour drive from Munich. If alive threw a Knödelfest, these dumplings would definitely be on the menu, served simply as snacks with sliced radishes and fresh parsley or dill, or topped with butter, beer gravy, or mushroom sauce. The dumpling test You can test one dumpling by shaping it and then boiling it before shaping the rest. If the water is lower than a boil and it still falls apart, add more starch to the batter before shaping another ball and testing again.