Creamy Indian Lentils & Rice

Creamy Indian Lentils & Rice

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced onion

1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 teaspoons mustard seed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups water

1 cup dried lentils - I used Sprouted Lentils to boost nutritional value

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Add rice and next 4 ingredients; saute 1 minute.

Add water and lentils; bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.

Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and sour cream.

Yields six 1-cup servings.

Why Lentils?

A small but nutritionally-mighty member of the legume family, lentils are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber (both the soluble and insoluble type). Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. In one study, researchers found that legumes were associated with a whopping 82% reduction in risk of death from coronary heart disease!

Lentils also provide excellent amounts of six important minerals (iron, protein, phosphorus, copper, thiamin, potassium) and two B-vitamins - all with virtually no fat. Lentils actually have the highest level of protein by weight of any plant-based food!

Just 1-cup of these little legumes packs quite the punch!

Why Brown Rice?

The process that produces brown rice removes only the outermost layer [the hull] of the rice kernel and is the least damaging to its nutritional value. The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids!!

Brown rice is an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of the minerals selenium and magnesium. Just 1-cup of brown rice will provide you with 88% of the daily value of manganese. This trace mineral helps produce energy from protein & carbohydrates, and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids [important for a healthy nervous system], and in the production of cholesterol [used by the body to produce sex hormones]. Manganese is also a critical component of a very important antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase (SOD). SOD is found protects against damage from the free radicals produced during energy production.

Brown rice packs a double punch by being a concentrated source of the fiber needed to minimize the amount of time cancer-causing substances spend in contact with colon cells. Brown rice is also a very good source of selenium - a trace mineral that has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of colon cancer. In addition to supplying 14% of the daily value for fiber, a cup of cooked brown rice provides 27% of the daily value for selenium! Many Americans do not get enough selenium in their diets, yet this trace mineral is of fundamental importance to human health. Selenium is an essential component of several major metabolic pathways, including thyroid hormone metabolism, antioxidant defense systems, and immune function.

Plus, the oil in whole brown rice lowers cholesterol.

So, the next time you're serving up rice, choose brown not white!

Why Cilantro?

Cilantro, also called coriander, has recently been studied for its cholesterol-lowering effects. In parts of Europe, cilantro has traditionally been referred to as an "anti-diabetic" plant, and in parts of India, it has traditionally been used for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Recent research studies have confirmed all three of these healing effects. When cilantro was added to the diet of diabetic mice, it helped stimulate their secretion of insulin and lowered their blood sugar. When given to rats, the herb reduced the amount of damaged fats in their cell membranes. And when given to rats fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, cilantro lowered levels of total and LDL [bad cholesterol], while actually increasing levels of HDL [good cholesterol].

Research also suggests that the volatile oils found in the leaves of the cilantro plant may have antimicrobial properties. And, a study published in the June 2004 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry stated that cilantro contains an antibacterial compound that may prove to be a safe, natural means of fighting Salmonella.

Health benefits aside, cilantro is my favorite herb and I love the smell and taste. Although some people actually dislike the taste of cilantro, for me, it is a key ingredient in most of my favorite dishes!