Tomatoes Stuffed with French Lentils

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What's better than an edible container? These hollowed tomatoes are a perfect vessel for a refreshing lentil salad. Bell pepper and celery add a nice crunch to the creamy lentils.

Ingredients

4 large tomatoes

1 cup dried French green lentils (du Puy)

2 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 T -1/4 cup chopped onion

1 T balsamic vinegar

2 T fresh lemon juice

1 T stone-ground mustard

1 garlic clove, finely minced

pinch crushed red pepper

kosher or sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

200 calories; 1 g fat; 0.1 g saturated fat; 4% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 14.1 g protein; 36.6 g carbohydrate; 6.5 g sugar; 9.7 g fiber; 224 mg sodium; 55 mg calcium; 5.8 mg iron; 65.6 mg vitamin C; 823 mcg beta-carotene; 1.3 mg vitamin E

Preparation

With a paring knife, cut tops off tomatoes. With a melon baller or spoon, scoop out insides of tomatoes, leaving a shell thick enough to hold the lentils. Place tomatoes upside down onto paper towels to drain for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse and remove any debris from the lentils. Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add lentils, bay leaves, and onion and bring to another boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 20-45 minutes. The lentils should be cooked through, but still firm. Drain lentils and shake gently to remove the excess water. Remove bay leaves.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Add to lentils. Stir and let cool.

Add the bell pepper and celery to the cooled lentil mixture.

Divide the lentil mixture evenly among tomatoes and serve.

Recipe by
Katherine Lawrence