LENTIL AND CHICKPEA DHAL RECIPE

This lentil and chickpea Dhal recipe is taken from our NEW ‘Sleep Well - Recipes for Restful Nights’ Recipe Plan (scroll down to find out more). Served with brown rice, this is a nutritious and comforting evening meal. Lentils are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that plays a role in the production of serotonin and melatonin, two hormones that regulate sleep. Whilst the brown rice is a complex carbohydrate, providing a steady release of glucose, promote serotonin and melatonin production, and stabilise blood sugar levels, all of which contribute to a more restful night's sleep.

Recipe

Servings: 4 | Time to create: 30 - 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion, finely diced

  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely diced

  • 1 thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and finely diced

  • 1 tin (400g) of green lentils (drained)

  • 1 tin (400g) of chickpeas (drained)

  • 1 tin (400g) coconut milk

  • 4 plum tomatoes, cut into eighths

  • 4 frozen cubes of spinach

  • 1 tbsp tomato puree

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 tsp curry powder

  • 1 tsp paprika

  • 1 tsp chilli powder

  • Serving suggestion: Brown rice and fresh coriander

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Once the onion has soften (approx. 8 minutes), add the spices and cook for a further 3 minutes.

  2. Add the lentils and chickpeas and continue to stir for 5 minutes before adding the coconut milk, tomato puree and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, before reducing to a simmer and cooking for 30 minutes. Stir regularly to ensure the dhal does not stick to the dish.

  3. Add the frozen spinach 5 minutes before you wish to serve. Stir until the spinach has thawed and is mixed into the dish.

  4. Serve with brown rice and a sprinkle of fresh coriander.

Top tip: When choosing a meal to help promote sleep, choose dishes that are light and easy to digest.

Sleep Well - Recipes for Restful Nights

Access 4 more delicious recipes to help promote sleep with our new 5 day recipe plan including a bedtime snack, a soothing beverage, a healthy dessert, and a breakfast recipe to help promote alertness after a good sleep.

The plan also shares the importance of sleep for wellbeing, why your diet might be keeping you up at night, sleep inducing ingredients, and practical nutrition-based sleep strategies.


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