Instant Pot Easy Curried Red Lentils - High Protein and Iron Vegan Meals

Lentils are such a nutritional powerhouse. They are high in fiber, protein and are a great source of zinc, iron and folate. Red lentils are especially one of my favorite legumes. They are easy to cook and don't require soaking. A serving size (1/4 cup dry) at under 200 calories provides about 12g of protein, 3.6mg of iron, 5.2g of fiber and 1.7mg of zinc. *

Ingredients

1. 1 Cup red lentils (rinsed)

2. 1/2 Cup canned coconut milk

3. 1 Cup water

4. 4 cloves of garlic (minced)

5. 1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger (or 1/4 tsp powdered)

6. 1/4 Cup tomato paste

7. 1 tbsp curry powder

8. 1 tsp turmeric

9. 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

10. 1/4 lemongrass stalk (cut into 2 pieces) - optional

11. 1/6 of hot pepper (any would work, Thai chili would be best in this recipe but jalapeños or habanero peppers would work well too) - optional

12. A few flakes of crushed red pepper

13. salt and pepper to taste

Servings: 4

Instructions

Combine everything in an instant pot and pressure cook for 5 mins. Serve over a cup of fresh spinach bed and basmati rice. I like to add freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice as it adds a nice flavor and also can improve the iron absorption significanlty.

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*Nutrition source - https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/