A Mediterranean treat impressive enough for party, but easy enough for one
The idea for these lentil topped canapés came to me by sheer luck. After making a pot of veggie lentils for a particularly busy week, one evening I had so little time to eat and was so famished, all I could do was spoon the cold lentils onto my favorite gluten free crackers.
Seeing that I always have some Fermented Aioli in the fridge and fresh herbs ready for the picking, my lentil topped crackers quickly turned into gourmet morsels of savory deliciousness. A gluten free & vegetarian appetizer recipe was born!
Cooking Tips
This vegetarian treat can even skew vegan if you skip the aioli. Be sure to top with fresh basil and I promise you’ll thank me for the tip if you order some of Jilz extraordinarily tasty grain free crackers. Any favorite cracker, toasted, or better yet, pan fried bread squares will do as a delivery vehicle. But Jilz are really worth a try.
The other special ingredient that makes this recipe not only tasty, but fast and easy to prepare is TruRoots Sprouted Green Lentils. Cooking with these dried, yet sprouted lentils is almost as effortless as popping lentils out of a can.
It’s important to both sprout legumes and to avoid eating canned foods, both of which you can nip in the bud with a bag of these sprouted lentils. No more planning ahead for healthily prepared lentils! But you can still enjoy the greatly reduced cooking times that come as a result of soaking. Imagine–perfectly, fresh cooked lentils in less than 15 minutes! So liberating.
Be sure to follow my directions for cooking times on the lentils. The time listed on the bag is not long enough.
Other than having to pick up a couple “specialty” ingredients (which will quickly become staples), this is a super easy and versatile recipe. The Mediterranean flavored legume stew can be serve as canapés or with a side of grains and greens, or to accompany a piece of fish.
Don’t forget to top with my Fermented Aioli, or if you’re looking for a vegan option try topping with my Spicy Chipotle Green Dressing. Make these dressings in advance to save time. The Aioli can be served fresh, but it’s better if you allow for overnight fermentation and to further stiffen in the fridge before serving.
Find a pretty plate and serve!
Mediterranean Lentil Canapés
You can make this delicious Mediterranean flavored legume stew to serve on crackers or crostini, but don’t let that stop you from pairing it with grains, greens or even a piece of fresh fish. To enjoy as little delectable gluten free morsels, just serve on Jilz Gluten-Free Mediterranean Crackerz! Don’t forget to top with my Fermented Aioli or if you’re looking for...
- Prep Time: 15m
- Cook Time: 25m
- Total Time: 40m
- Serves: 4
- Yield: 32 Oz
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 medium Red Onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive OIl
- 3 medium Beefstaek Tomatoes, or other tomatoes
- 1 Sweet Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- 3 medium Summer Squash, sliced on the 1/2 into 1/2" slices
- 1/2 cup packed Basil, leaves only
- dash Celtic Sea Salt, to taste
- dash Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
Lentils
- 2 cups TruRoots Sprouted Green Lentils, cooked
- 4 1/2 cups Filtered Water
- 1/4 teaspoon Dried Garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon Corriander
- 1/4 teaspoon Cumin, ground
- 1/4 teaspoon White Pepper, ground
- dash Celtic Sea Salt
To Serve
- 1 package Jilz Gluten Free Mediterranean Crackers
- Fermented Aioli, see post for recipe link
- Small Basil Leaves, to garnish
Instructions
Lentils
- Cook 1.5 cups of dry TruRoot sprouted lentils in 4 1/2 cups water, covered, for about 15 minutes. First bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.
- Check at about 10 minutes to see if the lentils are tender enough and the water has boiled off, or if they need more time.
- Once the water has been absorbed, add spices, salt and olive oil, stir to combine. Let stand covered at least 5 minutes before combing with veggies.
Vegetables
- Chop all veggies roughly, but small enough to easily spoon on crackers. Cut squash in half lengthwise, then into 1/2" slices. Remove stems and seeds from pepper.
- Heat oil in pan. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add tomato, pepper and squash. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, until all veggies are soft.
- Combine and stir lentils and veggies. If there is any liquid left in the pan, simmer uncovered on low heat for a couple minutes until cooked off.
- Let cool in the fridge to serve on crackers.
Serve
- Place a dollop of lentil mixture on each cracker, top with a drop of Fermented Aioli, and garnish with a small basil leaf.
