*Recipe* Lentil Cassoulet

I've recently decided that I am going to eat more vegetarian dishes.  This includes eating more things like lentils, split peas, and beans.  I actually eat an abnormal amount of beans as it is, but I really love beans.  I don't mean Bush's Baked Beans, but real dried and canned beans.  I also LOVE lentils.  I have eaten them for years but not nearly enough.  I have a little bit of sentimental attachment to them as well, since my parents grow a fairly large amount of them on the farm.  They are shipped all over the world and I always hope that the "Product of Canada" label that I make sure is on the bags I buy actually means "product of Saskatchewan".

Recently my mom was watching the Global Saskatoon News and saw a recipe for a delicious looking lentil recipe and sent me the video of it for the "Year of the Pulse" (Pulse crop are in the legume family and are dried such as lentils, dried peas and beans and chic peas)  It isn't a vegetarian dish, but it would be awesome even with out the sausage.  Actually more vegetables could be added and even a poached egg on top.  Anyway, this is it, and it is absolutely delicious!  it is even husband approved and he doesn't like tomatoes!

Lentil Cassoulet

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup green lentils (red would work too but cooking time might need to be adjusted).

-2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes

-4-6 sausages (I used Shadybrook Farms Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage and I would recommend     Italian Sausage)

-1 small white onion

-3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

-2 tbsp olive oil (I used garlic infused)

-3 cloves garlic or 1 tsp minced garlic (I used just a pinch of minced garlic since my olive oil is garlic infused).

-1 tbsp Italian seasoning or any fresh or dried Italian herbs

-2 sprigs fresh Rosemary or Thyme

-1 tbsp ground pepper

-1/2 tbsp sea salt

Directions

-preheat oven to 375F
-pour the lentils into a casserole dish or cast iron pan
-even out and pour the tomatoes evenly on top
-pour the onions evenly over that
-place sausages on top 
-pour stock over everything 
-pour olive oil and balsamic over top
-sprinkle Italian seasoning, salt and pepper over and place Rosemary or Thyme sprigs on the dish as a final touch.

 -Bake for about 1 hour or until lentils are soft.

If you want some more awesome lentil and legume recipes, you can sign up for the 2016 Pulse Challenge or just check out some recipes.