I don’t know if it’s just me but when winter starts knocking on my door all I want is comfort food. Obviously I can’t eat rice and pasta each day, not because it’s bad for my waistline but also because I need a variety. Pulses and grains are go good for us and for some reason have the least attention. This originally Spanish dish is one of my favourites. It’s warming, low on the calories and with the spice from the Chorizo has a real kick.  If you’re not a fan of Chorizo or do not eat pork you can replace the sausage with chicken or beef based sausages. Going Vegetarian is also an option in this dish. Just add grilled large peppers (spicy if you like) and you are good to go. This dish is certainly versatile and makes a nice family meal on a cold day.

I have two young children and I want them to develop a taste for all kinds of foods not just plain rice and pasta. It can be a challenge, but we talk about where the food originated, what do we know about that country etc.  My ultimate goal is to make sure my kids eat what we eat and have an understanding of good food. So far so good.. even though I have not managed to get them to eat an avocado.. one battle at a time I say…

What you need:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced or grated
• 1 large sweet red pepper
• 1/2 chorizo (about 100g)
• 2 cans green lentils (300- 400 grams each)
• 1 can cubed tomatoes (min 400 grams)
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp smokey paprika powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 5-10 drops of Tabasco sauce (for a little spice)
• handful of flat leaf parsley to garnish

What you do:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add your onion, garlic,  sweet red pepper and chorizo.
2. Cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes until the onion is translucent and soft.
3. Add lentils, can of cubed tomatoes, spices and stock
4. Turn up the heat and bring to a light bubbly boil
5. Once boiled cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce looks thick
6. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley as desired

Enjoy!