Autumnal warmth with adaptable red lentil paste

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Cooking in a smaller area living on a boat on the Thames is not without its challenges for my son Camiel. As much as he loves boating life, there are always compromises.

He is often seen using one-pot cooking for dishes to save time and space. Having struggled with coming up with easy, nutritious plant-based wholefoods to easy his dry skin symptoms, this dish for him has stood the test of his boating lifestyle.

I bring you here Camiel's red lentil paste which can be flipped in many different directions, as a sauce for wholemeal pasta or brown rice, a dip to complement multi-seed crackers, or a soup to mop up with sourdough bread (our favourite is the Polish variety).

Red lentils are a valuable source of protein also containing molybdenum and iron for oxygenating the blood. They also create a good environment for cardiovascular health. Lentils can also supply you with vitamin B1 (thiamine) to regulate the nervous system, ensuring a healthy heartbeat and offering the added benefit of you bulking up on fibre too.

RED LENTIL PASTE FOR DIPS, SOUPS OR SAUCES :)

1 cup red lentils

2 tbls. of tomato paste

1 tsp. of soy sauce

(or Bragg's amino acids if cutting back on salt)

1 tbls. of olive oil

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 Kashmiri chilli powder or paprika

1/2 tbls. nutritional yeast

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat the oil gently in a pot

• Add tomato paste and soy sauce

• Add two cups of water and bring to the boil

• Add washed red lentils

• Add the dry mix and top up with water if making soup

• Let boil for 25-30 minutes or until reaches your desired consistency

• Add vegetables like carrots or broccoli for a balanced meal.