LENTIL TAHINI PASTA

My daughter sent me this recipe with the note "it's so good!" I have to agree. I loved the flavors, textures, and the fact that it was high in protein. It didn't take long to throw this meal together. I could have done it even faster if I had used my frozen pasta and canned lentils.

Here's the recipe by Catherine, a plant-based dietitian: Lentil Tahini Pasta

What is tahini? Ground sesame seed paste.

Where can I find tahini in conventional grocery stores? If there is an ethnic food section it likely would be there. Otherwise, some stores may have it by the peanut butter and other nut butters. I like Trader Joe's brand but they seem to constantly change where they put the tahini so I have to ask. In Lexington check out the Mediterranean, Indian or Asian grocery stores.

Here's how to pronounce tahini.

See the graphic by Colorado State University at the end of the picture section to understand the difference between legumes, pulses, beans, and lentils.

Here's a 2 minute video about the different kinds of lentils: Expert's Guide to Lentils

What I did and clarifications:

-Used Trader Joe organic whole wheat spaghetti

-Used organic green lentils

-My vegetable broth was reduced sodium

-Oregano is dried oregano

-Used fresh kale, chopped, likely double the amount called for

-How long you cook the lentils depends on the kind of lentil you use. My daughter used red lentils which cook quickly. I used green lentils and it took 18 minutes until they were done.