Numbers Game: Answer

I'm back!

As much as I love this blog, there are times of the year when a full-time job and three evening classes take up the bulk of my time and energy -- especially the last two weeks of the semester, when finals and papers abound.

Thanks to all of you for your patience and encouraging e-mails during this mini hiatus!

Alright, so let's reveal some numbers on lentils.

A half cup of cooked lentils (115 calories) contains 8 grams of fiber and 24 percent of the daily manganese requirement.

Lentils are undoubtedly a stealth food for anyone not meeting fiber recommendations.

All it takes is half a cup to get a third of a day's needs!

Last October, Oxygen Magazine published a vegetarian meal plan I concocted, which included this delicious lentil salad recipe:

Preparation time: 45 minutes (don't worry, most of that time is spent simmering lentils. A great time to catch up on with your Tivo)

Yield: Four 1/2 cup servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups dried lentils
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
Chopped cilantro, to taste
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Rinse dried lentils in water.
2. Put lentils into a large pot with 9 cups of water. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender.
3. In a large bowl, mix lentils with carrots and olive oil. Mix with minced garlic cloves, cilantro, salt, and pepper.

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving):

188 calories
7g fat
1g saturated fat
0g trans fat
0g cholesterol
24 mg sodium
9g fiber
9g protein