Lentil and Quinoa Ragù

Vegan and gluten-free recipe.
A complete, nourishing, and light dish at the same time, ideal for the whole family’s diet, also for those who need low glycemic index foods or are on a weight loss diet, or athletes who will find energy at hand ready for their activities.
This dish, along with the taste of the past, will give a sense of satiety that will satisfy everyone, especially those forced to reduce their meal portions.
Let’s explore the properties of these 2 elements.
Thanks to the high mineral content, lentils are suitable for fatigue, malnutrition, and anemia. Lentils also contain isoflavones, compounds with antioxidant properties, useful against free radicals.
Quinoa seeds contain proteins and minerals, such as magnesium, iron, and calcium. Moreover, they are gluten-free and thus particularly suitable for those with celiac disease.

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Lentil and Quinoa Ragù
  • Difficulty: Very easy
  • Cost: Very cheap
  • Rest time: 30 Minutes
  • Preparation time: 5 Minutes
  • Portions: 4
  • Cooking methods: Boiling
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
254.33 Kcal
calories per serving
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  • Energy 254.33 (Kcal)
  • Carbohydrates 27.68 (g) of which sugars 3.84 (g)
  • Proteins 9.01 (g)
  • Fat 11.89 (g) of which saturated 2.05 (g)of which unsaturated 1.43 (g)
  • Fibers 8.65 (g)
  • Sodium 125.62 (mg)

Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.

* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov

Ingredients

Let’s go shopping

  • 7 oz cooked lentils (and drained)
  • 3.5 oz quinoa
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 0.5 cup onion
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 0.5 cup carrot
  • 5.3 oz zucchini (or pumpkin or potato)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp broth cube (vegetable)
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 3 cups water

an eye on health

Tools

What we need to make the

  • 1 Pot
  • 1 Knife
  • 1 Cutting board

Steps

Let’s go to the kitchen

  • In a pot, put the extra virgin olive oil, onion, celery, and carrot cut into not too thin pieces.
    Sauté the vegetables for 3 minutes

    Bimby mince
  • then add the zucchini diced and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes.

    Lentil and Quinoa Ragù
  • At this point add the boiled and drained lentils

    lentils
  • The vegetable stock cube, and tomato paste.

    lentil ragù
  • Cover with 3 cups of water, cover with the lid and cook from the boiling point for at least 10 minutes.

    pot
  • After the time, add the quinoa, mix and let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    Lentil and Quinoa Ragù
  • Now turn off the heat and let the lentil and chia seed ragù rest for 5 minutes, then you can serve.

    Lentil and Quinoa Ragù

Storage and variations

Lentil and Quinoa Ragù

Storage:

2 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer
Variations:

You can replace the zucchini with pumpkin.
Lentils can be replaced with other pre-boiled and drained legumes of your choice.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Lentil and Quinoa Ragù

  • How can I enhance the flavor?

    With a teaspoon of curry.

  • Can I substitute Quinoa?

    Yes, with cereals of your choice or pasta, but the cooking water must be adapted to their needs, however, just lentils are great too, perhaps with slices of bread.

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ritaamordicucina

The cooking blog Rita Amordicucina offers a wide range of recipes, with a particular focus on the cuisine of Northeastern Sicily and Messina. It specializes in fish recipes, pastries, and diet dishes, demonstrating how one can eat deliciously while maintaining a healthy weight. Its motto, "Do what you can with what you have, wherever you are," reflects its desire to teach cooking with limited resources. In addition to the blog, it has participated in television shows and food festivals.

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