Livestock to Lentils

By Ruth Jarman

 

Looking for a healthy, cheap, earth-friendly new year's resolution idea? How about trying to eat less meat? Livestock are responsible for 18% of the greenhouse gases caused by human activities that is causing global warming and threatening so much of life on earth. It emanates not just from cow burps, but also from the energy used to produce fertilizer and transport and the clearing of forests for grazing land.

 

So why not pick one day a week to eat a climate- and animal-friendly meal?

 

Here's my lentil pie that my carnivorous husband devours happily:

 

• Boil green or brown lentils until cooked, or open a tin.
• Fry onions, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, anything else you have in the larder.
• Add tomato puree, tin tomatoes, a few sultanas or raisins, ½ stock cube, cooked lentils, herbs, and any appropriate leftovers e.g. baked beans.
• Put it all between 2 layers of wholewheat pastry in a flan dish and bake for 45 minutes at 180 degrees C.
• Since the oven's on, bake some potatoes or garlic bread at the same time.

 

Serve with salad in summer and a good chutney in winter.

 

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