So, here I am, finally doing something I promised to do days and days ago. You know, posting a recipe for the first time in who knows how long. I don’t know what’s happened to me, but my zest for cooking and creating recipes has been at an all time low lately — so not like me at all.
It might have something to do with the fact that all I wanted to do was sit on the couch yesterday after I spent houuuuurrrsss (yes I’m being a whiner) working on curriculum work that I could have been working on little by little for a week now. Of course that would have been the responsible decision. Instead, I hightailed myself and all of my bags (I was like the bag lady) to Starbuck’s, ordered my drink, got settled, and then realized I had forgotten my computer charger at home. #fail. Enter in packed bags, running back home, and finally getting settled a half hour later.
Oh I should also mention I took an hour hiatus from working to go get a pedicure — let’s keep our eyes on the important things people. But anyway, after I finished at 4:00, I sat on my couch. And I started reading the LAST Harry Potter book. Then I got distracted by the marathon of Secret Life of an American Teenager. Why is it that every time I stop watching that show and go back to it, it gets more and more ridiculous? Like so ridiculous it’s not even believable — nor is the acting even good at all. Yet, there I sat, watching it for hours until The Bachelor came on. No, I’m not even upset about spending so many hours on the couch yesterday afternoon. You shouldn’t be upset about it either.
So, back to this recipe — it was made, frozen, defrosted, and gone within 48 hours. Why I even decided to freeze it is beyond me.
You should make it, sit on your couch, and watch trashy TV. Just sayin’. Oh, and you’ll only have one skillet to clean — woohoo!
Lentil Jambalaya
- 3/4 cup short grain brown rice, dry
- 3/4 cup green lentils, dry (or any variety)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 1/2 green pepper, roughly chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1- 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes (with liquid)
- 2-1/2 cups water (plus more if needed while cooking)
- 1 tsp. liquid aminos
- 1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a large (and deep!) skillet, combine olive oil, onion, garlic, carrots, and green pepper over medium high heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until vegetables are somewhat tender – stir frequently to avoid scorching. Next, add the rice, lentils, tomatoes, water, liquid aminos, and Cajun seasoning. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice and lentils absorb the water, about 40-45 minutes. Once rice is tender, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Oh, and PS — my friend Kelly once told me the reason why she is friends with me is because I have a glass jar labeled lentils. Just thought you should know.
{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds yum! At least you came back with a good one! Loving lentils at the moment.
I love that you don’t like ‘Secret Life” and you watch it anyway. I do that all the time with tv shows. They suck you in with their ridiculousness! I’m notorious for leaving the food network on for entire weekends….even though I’ve seen every single episode.
Ugh, it’s the worst! WHy do we do this to ourselves?
I love one-pot, complete protein & veggie meals like this. Way easier than it looks!
cant wait to try it, and i no exaclty what you mean with the secret life i always felt bad to stop watchin it but this season i just had to i couldnt waste anymore of my life watching it it was sooo bad idk how its still on lol
That recipe sounds soooo good! And I feel like most shows are good for a couple seasons, but then they just start to get crazy!!
I am with you on Secret Life. It has seriously gotten SO ridiculous & unrealistic, but I really can’t turn away at this point!
Haha, did you see last night’s episode? Ridiculous.
Yum, that looks great! As I mentioned in my post today, I’m always looking for new ways to use lentils.
One pot (delicious!) meals like this are the best! Thanks for the idea
I hear you on motivation to do much around the blog area… I thin it’s the time of year, weather and such, and that is understandable!
I love jambalaya and this vegetarian twist on it looks awesome!
And don’t worry – there have been a few afternoons this summer where I’ve spent wayyy too much time on the couch too.
This looks great! I love using lentils in place of rice when making Indian food. I had never thought about expanding it. Thanks girl for the great recipe!
yum! i love lentils. generally speaking i totally cheat, though, and buy the pre cooked ones from trader joe’s
Oh, those are the best!!!! I usually buy those too.
I did the same thing – got sucked into watching the horrendous acting and writing on Secret Life. Who actually believes that teenagers talk that way?! Yet I continued to watch. Probably not the best way to start my first week of summer break. Meh. Oh well.
haha those things do NOT really happen to teenagers. Seriously.
I love jambalaya! This is a great idea since I can’t have Tofurkey and I don’t like meat!!
Thanks girl!
I am soooooo ridiculously over all of this curriculum work I’ve done this summer already. (enough pouting from me) I feel your pain….
This dish must be jam packed with amazing flavor!
haha me too! Thankfully we have to be done with it before the end of the week!
The recipe looks awesome! I laughed at the lentil jar comment because I was thinking it was pretty cool, too!
haha I guess we’d be great friends!
That looks so delicious! i love lentils! they’re so yummy and good for you! i’ll definitely have to try this recipe out! thanks for sharing!
I’ve never eaten jambalaya before because I can’t have seafood, but your recipe looks perfect! I really want to try this
Excellent choice of “comeback recipes”! Do you think I could substitute soy sauce for the liquid aminos? I’m not a vegetarian and probably get enough protein in my diet, so I don’t really want to go out and buy something I may never use again. Or should I just do add a bit of salt?
I’m excited to try it!!!
Yes! You definitely can. Liquid Aminos is a soy sauce alternative. I should have put a note!
Yeah, I thought I’d heard somewhere that liquid aminos was a gluten-free soy sauce alternative or something, but I wasn’t sure. I guess I could have googled it. I wasn’t sure if the soy sauce would impart some sort of weird soy sauce taste (which I generally LOVE) that would not go with the recipe. Thanks for clarifying!
I havent made something with lentils for ages…thanks for the reminder and it’s fun seeing a new recipe from you. I know how it is; life…busy with everything and too busy to even sit and type some days!
Can you believe I’ve never had jambalaya? I’m going to new orleans this year and I’m determined to get me some jambalaya!
I’ve never had true jambalaya!
Haha I have a glass jar labelled lentils too. And one for chickpeas, quinoa, nutritional yeast and a whole host of other decidedly ‘healthy weird’ things that my friends find really strange. Ah well.
I LOVE jamabalaya! Thank you for this!! I am always excited for new dinner recipes – there’s a plethora of baked goods in the blogging world to tempt me but I need to eat real food too haha.
We’d be great friends!
Oh! That show is like a bad accident… I can’t take my eyes off it. I have stopped watching it only to start again too and then I get mad at myself for even caring! Yes, the acting is horrible and the storylines are ridiculous.
haha that’s a great way to put it!
I don’t know why I keep watching the secret life. It’s just…there. And I watch. And I want to smack Amy in the face repeatedly whenever she’s whining about nothing – which is all of the time.
UGH – she has turned into the WORST. I used to really like her.
I love jambalaya!! This sounds great! Especially because I found a can of lentils and had no clue what to do with them. Perfect timing. Don’t you worry about the couch sitting, I’ve been doing a lot of that lately. Feels good to be lazy sometimes.
Sure does!
That looks so good! And i am with your friend Kelly – a glass jar with a chalkboard label is seriously the cutest thing ever and def makes me want to be friends with you!
haha! Thanks!
I’ve been obsessed with lentils lately! This is great, thank you.
Speaking of bad shows…One Tree Hill. I have to say that I was overly relieved that I could finally stop watching it when it ended. So bad, but you can’t stop. haha.
Oh my gosh, I know. I stopped watching it in college.
OOOh I love Cajun flavors. Great looking recipe!
I love lentils! And I’m definitely bookmarking this as we speak to add to my to-make list.
Also – I should totally invest in a giant jars like that for my dry-goods. I use so many lentils, it’s worth it.
YUM! I have tons of lentils in the freezer, and I’ve been trying to come up with some husband-friendly recipes for them. I think he might like this!
It’s hard to please those husbands, huh?
This recipe is delicious! The first day I made it I doubled the recipe to be sure to have enough to feed my family of five. We ate the entire pot. It was so good that I made another double recipe the next day. Thanks for a new family favorite recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!
Currently obsessed with lentils! I’m excited to try them with the cajun flavoring.
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