Want a healthy and unique way to get your carb fix? Try 24 Carrot’s recipe for lentils and baby potatoes tossed in a cilantro pesto. This dish is packed with flavor from the cilantro pesto and delivers plenty of fiber–11 grams of fiber to be exact. If you don’t like cilantro feel free to sub-in traditional fresh basil when making your pesto. Fun fact: Lentils are a great source of soluble fiber which is the kind that forms a gel in your gut to slow down digestion (making you feel fuller) and helps to reduce LDL blood cholesterol.
Lentils & Baby Potatoes with Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients
- 3 cups Fingerling Potatoes
- 1 cup Lentils
- 3 Scallion stalks, thinly sliced
- 3 cups Cilantro lightly packed, stems and leaves
- 1 cup Pumpkin Seeds (also known as Pepitas)
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
- Optional: Black Pepper to taste
Directions
Fill a large pot with water enough to cover the potatoes when they are in the pot. Bring the water to a boil and add the potatoes in the pot. Cover the pot and boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes or until you can stick a fork into them easily. Drain and set aside. Cook lentils according to the package. Drain and set aside.
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a medium sized pan on the stove, stirring often until they are lightly browned. Make pesto by combining cilantro, toasted pepitas, garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt, and a splash of olive oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the rest of the oil slowly as you continue to process. You want the pesto to be like a sauce, rather than a dry mixture.
Combine potatoes, lentils, and scallions in a medium sized bowl. Add the pesto to the potatoes, lentils, and scallions and toss to combine. Test to see if you want to add more salt or pepper.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 5 | Serving Size: 1 cup
Per serving: Calories: 367; Total Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 11g; Cholesterol: 6mg; Sodium: 444mg; Carbohydrate: 29g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 1g; Protein 14g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 241mg; Iron: 13%; Vitamin A: 13%; Vitamin C: 9%; Calcium: 9%
Katie is the author of 24 Carrot Life, a (mostly) healthy food blog with quick and simple recipes that show you can live a decadent food lifestyle while still keeping things simple, healthy, and based on whole foods. She works full-time at a non-profit and is based in Philadelphia, PA.
Photo courtesy of Katie Oberwager. Original recipe can be found on 24 Carrot Life.
