Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 2 potatoes
• 2 cups red lentils
• 1 onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 12 fresh mint leaves
• 2-3 green onions
• salt
• black pepper
• olive oil
• 3 cups water

Directions:

Drizzle a small amount of olive oil into a large deep pan.
Add chopped onion and garlic cloves and sizzle over medium
heat.

Add potato, chopped into small cubes. Fry them
thoroughly, so onions and potatoes both show a lot of brown
color.

Add lentils and water, and boil for about 20 minutes.
(You want to lentils to remain firm and colorful, not cook
to mush, so keep an eye out.) Drain off any excess water.

Return to heat and stir in coarsely chopped green onions.
Cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes or so until the green
onions wilt a bit. Remove from heat.

Make a dressing out of
the mint leaves (chop finely) and lemon juice, adding
up to an equal volume of olive oil if you like. Pour the
dressing into the vegetables, and stir to coat. Add salt and cracked black
pepper to taste.

This is good hot as a main dish, or cold as a hearty salad.

The only source of fat is the olive oil, which you can
adjust to preference.

Serves: 4-8

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup seeded and diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans
• 1 cup papaya

Directions:

1. Lightly brown the onion in the olive oil over medium-
high heat, then stir in the bell pepper, celery, cumin, and
spices. Saute for 1 minute.

2. Transfer to a stainless steel bowl, and season with salt
and pepper. Add the cooked black beans and papaya, tossing to combine. Chill.

Note: If you are making this salsa ahead of time, add the
papaya immediately before serving.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Serves:

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 15oz. can light red kidney beans
• 1/4 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Sautee garlic and onion in medium saucepan over medium heat
(about 5 min. or until light brown). Drain 1/2 of the
juice from the canned beans. Add the beans and the
remaining 1/2 can of bean juice to the garlic and onion.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low and
simmer for about 15-20 min.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 20-25 min.

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1/2 can chick peas (garbanzos)
• 1 can of baby peas
• 2 small cloves garlic
• 1-2 tablespoon cummin
• 2-3 tablespoon non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
• fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Throw the cumin and margarine in a pan and heat over medium to high heat until the margarine melts. Saute for 1/2 minute more (but don’t burn it).

Add the garlic (peeled and sliced in half) and saute over medium heat for a minute or so. Add the chick peas and saute for another minute or two until heated through. Add the baby peas and saute until heated. Add pepper, stir, and serve.

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes.

Serves:

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 8 oz red lentils
• 1 pepper (pimento) – any colour red and yellow are best
• 1-2 chilies (depending on type, experiment!)
• 1 medium onion
• 1 x 450g tin peeled plum tomatoes
• 1 x 450g tin red kidney beans drained (or similar quantity soaked and cooked if you prefer, I’m lazy)

Directions:

NB British Measurements!

Put lentils in a pan with twice their volume boiling water
and the kidney beans. Turn heat to medium hot whilst you
whiz the remaining ingredients in a food processor (or chop
them up if you don’t have a food processor). Add whizzed
ingredients and either keep heat high and keep stirring
until the lentils are cooked (fastest) or turn heat as low
as possible and put a lid on them for 40 minutes or so
(best). Best made slightly milder than you normally take
chilli and served with lashings of Tabasco.

This chilli is incredibly versitile. It freezes forever, it
rehears as many times as you dare, you can have it with
baked potatoes, in tortillas, under mashed potato. I’ve
never tried but I think it would be great made in a haybox
if you have one and a friend mixes it with leftover mashed
potato and fries it as chilli burgers. Oh and it doesn’t
seem to mind sitting in a box in the car all day when we go
car-camping either.

Serves: 4-6 depending on appetite and how much rice you make

Preparation time: minimum 30 mins (better if you can allow 1 hour though)