Honey Baked Lentils

Confession time... before yesterday, I had never even tasted lentils. I've heard so many great things about them- such as they are very high in protein, fiber, iron, zinc and calcium. I had picked up a bag several months ago with good intentions, but they just sat in my pantry. They seemed so... bland and uninspiring. I had no clue what to make with them. And then, yesterday, I ran across this recipe and decided to try it. I'm so glad I did as it turned out SO yummy!

Honey Baked Lentils

1 cup lentils
2 cups water
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ginger
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste

Combine the above in a baking dish, cover and bake at 350* until tender (~ 1.5 hours).

That's it! How much simpler can it get? You can pop it in the oven shortly after breakfast and have a hearty, filling lunch that will keep you going all afternoon. Or serve as a savory side dish with dinner.

What our family has to say:
* Momma: Two thumbs up! Healthy, simple, inexpensive and tasty! I can see myself making this quite frequently.
* Abbie: Bravely tried it, but didn't like it. She had a PB&J sandwich right beforehand, so she just might have been full.
* Isaiah: Absolutely loved it, and came back for seconds and thirds! He can be pretty picky with vegetables, so I'm glad we can add this nutritious food to his diet.

What's YOUR favorite way to eat lentils?

Thrifty Green Thursday - An alternative to plastic storage containers

I just love Green Baby Guide blog, and decided to try my hand at her Thrifty Green Thursday blog carnival thingy.

About a year ago, I got fed up with all the plastic storage containers. The mixmatched lids, the yucky stains. Not too mention the worry of the possible harmful chemicals leaching into our food.

So, I took the plunge and tossed the majority of them into the recycling bin. What did I replace them with? Certainly not any expensive speciality containers. Just simple canning jars, most of which I acquired for almost nothing via yard sales.

It's so simple, and as a bonus- my cabinets have never been neater!

The lids and rings are in that blue basket. I hand wash those, but the jars can just be tossed in the dishwasher.

You'll notice a lowly stack of plastic containers remaining. Those are for Thomas to take to work, as I still can't convince him to use a jar. He's worried that it'll break in transit, but I have yet to have one break during daily use at home (and I have 2 toddlers who help load/unload the dishwasher!). Oh well.

For larger items, such as cookies or bulk beans and rice, I've been saving gallon-sized pickle jars (we go through a lot of pickles around here, hehe). You can also save smaller glass jars from various pre-packaged foods, such as jelly, salsa, etc. (although, you won't have the convenience of having identical lids for all of them).

I would LOVE to hear if anyone else uses canning jars for storage, or if you have any other ideas for alternatives!