Oh, January. Your detoxes, cleanses, juice fasts, diet commercials, and cellulite cream jeans are starting to get on my nerves. Just so you know I’m tuning you out, so don’t bother trying to lure me in with 6 easy payments or strict diet plans. It’s just not my thing. My approach to January – or any other month for that matter – is to eat food that makes me feel good and less of what doesn’t. But this approach doesn’t really sell, does it?
Soup, chili, and casseroles – these are the warm, comfort foods on my mind most days. Today, I’m sharing my take on maple baked beans, using hearty, chewy lentils for a fun twist. Lentils may seem boring to many, but I find them just the opposite. Their subtle flavour can blend into just about any vegan dish. Much like tofu, lentils are a great canvas for many different flavours, spices, and cuisines. I even adore them plain with a dusting of Herbamare and splash of vinegar. It’s a rather homely snack, but I’d devour the entire bowl before noticing.
Adding more fuel to my lentil loving fire – Canada is the world’s largest producer of lentils. It’s in my blood, eh? Their relative proximity, along with being a super cheap protein source, make them a regular staple in my diet. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they are nutritional powerhouses too. One cooked cup provides around 17.86 grams of protein, 6.5 mg iron, and 15.64 grams of fibre (source) making it a stick-to-your-ribs plant food that can go the distance. Pair them with Vitamin C rich sweet potato and you’ll boost your iron absorption even more.
Maple Baked Lentils with Sweet Potato
Yield
4-6 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
My spin on maple baked beans using hearty, chewy lentils! A bit of apple cider vinegar rounds out the sweetness of the dish and I encourage you to adjust the amounts to your own taste as you may like more or less pop from the vinegar. Serve this over some toasted bread, or even with a salad, and you have yourself a budget-friendly vegan meal during the peak of winter. To save on cook time, make the lentils beforehand and simply mix everything together and pop into the oven.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry green lentils
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 sweet apple, peeled and diced (I used Gala)
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced small*
- 14-oz can diced tomatoes (about 1.5 cups)
- 2.5 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 2 tsp regular mustard
- 1/2-1 tsp fine grain sea salt + ground pepper, to taste
- 1-2.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar, to taste
Directions
- Rinse and drain lentils. In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven*, add lentils along with 4 cups of water. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for about 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring often. Add more water if necessary. Lentils are ready when they are just tender (but not mushy) and most of the water is absorbed.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Add onion, garlic, apple, sweet potato, tomatoes (with juice), maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, mustard, salt, and pepper to the pot with the lentils. Stir well to combine. Add half of the apple cider vinegar (you’ll add the rest later if desired).
- Cover with lid (or tin foil in a pinch) and bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and stir. Bake for another 8-12 minutes, uncovered, until the sweet potato is tender. Stir in the rest of the apple cider vinegar if desired and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
- Serve over toasted bread or with a salad.
Tip:
If you don’t have an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, simply transfer the mixture into a casserole dish and cover with tin foil before baking.
Dice the sweet potato small to decrease cook time.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
What are your favourite vegan comfort foods?
Gah! The photography in this post is awesome! Love the styling and rustic look.
Thank you, I had fun with it :)
This dish looks amazing! My husband is allergic to all tomato products. Do you have any suggestions for substituting out the tomatoes?
04/05/2015 Easter dinner with my vegan niece. This was delicious! I love lentils and squash, but dislike tomatoes. I’m going to leave then out when I make it. And maple! The sap is rising NOW – just in time for fresh from the vat hot syrup! Thank you, dear brother for bringing this to our Easter table.
Made this tonight and LOVED it!! Very tasty and filling. My hubby came home from work and started eating from the dish and couldn’t stop. LOL
I want this right now! It’s 55 degrees where I live (South Florida, I consider this freezing!) and this sounds so perfect.
Yes I agree. I’m also in south Florida and trying to find a healthy warming recipe. This looks so good!
High of -11 here in Minneapolis on Monday! A perfect day to try this. :)
Atlanta and 53. Also what we consider freezing!
It’s snowing here in Nova Scotia and this sounds like the perfect supper! I have a sweet potato waiting to be used up and (or course) lots of lentils! Thank you Angela!
Between a juice cleanse and lentils, I will choose lentils every time. Thanks for the recipe!
im also a canadian lentil lover :) i actually never knew canada was a huge lentil producer!
Oh yum! Some of my favourite flavours, all in one – this is definitely going on my to-make list for this month. Question for you – do you think this would work in a crock pot?
I can’t see why not :)
How would you adapt this recipe for the crock pot?
haha that was going to be my question too! I think I am going to try it!
This looks AMAZING!!!! I so wish my husband liked sweet potatoes more cause I love them, butternut squash etc! And my boyz are so picky. Oh well – more for me :)
Love the idea of trying the crock pot too as I am looking for more CP recipes – thanks for the idea
I am on the same wavelength as you, Ange.. down with detox/cleanses, on with whole foods! I made something very similar recently.. Nova Scotian baked beans with blackstrap molasses and pumpkin seed butter. I probably should try it with maple syrup at some point, too. Love seeing you using lentils.. They are definitely one of my favourites. :)
Girl, your photography makes me wanna jump through the screen and dig in!! ;-)
Happy Friday!
This looks amazing! Yum! I’m excited to make this tomorrow!! I love your baked bean cornbread recipe, I actually made it for xmas dinner! Ps. Also made your crispy breaded tofu strips last night, they are now a staple for me! So good!
I’m happy to hear you like the cornbread casserole! Thanks for trying it out.
Oh my – that was a great one – we all loved the maple bean cornbread mix! You are genius :-)
I echo the sentiment on your baked bean/pumpkin/cornbread casserole – I make it year roung – even in the summer. It’s probably my favorite recipe of yours so far – which is saying a lot because they are all so good!
Likewise on the pumpkin baked bean cornbread casserole. It was a hit with everyone at home- all omnivores except me. This recipe looks equally delicious. I love your refreshing attitude to eating too :)
Thanks ladies! I don’t know why, but I didn’t think that recipe had many fans. Glad to hear otherwise :)
Is there a recipe for that bread???? Oh my gosh that bread looks so yummy! If there is a recipe, please post that as well!
Sadly no, it’s just bakery bread. :)
Aww that was my question. It look so good (along with your recipe, of course!)
I was coming here to ask the same thing! That crusty bread looks amazing.
What is the name of that bread? What bakery? It looks totally delish and I want it when I make this dish!
It looks just like the small Stonemill baguettes, they sell them at our local metro. Whenever I buy them, my husband and I end up devouring one (sliced with butter) before dinner, so delicious.
I’m with you on just eating good food in January. I just recommitted to eating good, clean foods. And vowed to drink a tad less wine. Lol!
I am so making this on the weekend! How long would this take in a crock pot do you think?
I think it would work just fine. Keep an eye on the moisture content though, as Im not sure it would dry out.
Cut up for the crockpot tomorow…let you know!
That looks delicious! I definitely want to try and make that. I also love lentils- it helps that my dad is a farmer and grows them. My favourite is when I get a bag of lentils from my dad’s farm!
My favourite vegan food is hummus. I love hummus and sometimes eat it straight. Delicious :)
I can get behind hummus as a comfort food for sure
Hahaha I saw the commercial for cellulite cream jeans and my first thought was ‘gross’ and my second thought was to buy better chapstick (Mick Jagger’s daughter is the model and her lips are ah-mazing).
Loving the rustic meal vibe :-)
This looks amazing!! You have the cutesy dishes:)
That bread looks AMAZING!! did you make that too, or where did you get it?
Sadly no, it’s from a bakery :)
I thought I was the only one annoyed by all the juice and detox fasts, I am happy to know I am not the only one. My favorite vegan food would half to be vegan lemon bars. This sub looks amazing especially since it is so cold and all you want to eat is comfort food :)
You know what’s weird, I don’t know if I’ve ever had a lemon square/bar before!
Hmmm, that looks amazing! I also love my fare share of lentils. So funny, I’m a Dutch foodie, but I’ve never seen a Dutch Oven, like ever. Had to Google it, to know what it is :-D.
You aren’t alone…I just learned that term in recent months.
Oh my goodness! That picture is so beautiful. I love the texture of the wood and placemat. I started following your blog a few weeks ago as I transition to more plant-based meals. I bought some red lentils two days ago and had no idea what to do with them, as I have never cooked with them before. Then…….POW! Here is a recipe for me to try. Thanks! I will try this out on our dinner guest this Sunday. God bless you in this wonderful journey of health and happiness.
In case you are not aware….red lentils have a very different texture than the green lentils used in this recipe……
Thanks so much Lea for helping in my “plant education” Until a month ago I had never even heard of cashew cream. Now I use it in many things instead of sour cream which I used to inhale. My husband grew up in the South and I grew up in the West raised on meat and potatoes, so this is quite a journey for me. Baby steps. Take care!
Thanks for your comments! Firstly, congrats on the amazing changes you are making in your lifestyle. You are such an inspiration. I can relate to not knowing what to do with new ingredients….this has been my journey over the past few years. :)
Like Lea mentioned, red lentils do have a much different texture when cooked. Red lentils “fluff up” and get super soft, almost disappearing into the food. Green or brown lentils stay more intact with a better chew to them and they are my preferred lentil in dishes like this. I do have some red lentil recipes though, most recently a red lentil soup that has a lot of positive reviews: http://ohsheglows.com/2012/11/07/spiced-red-lentil-tomato-and-kale-soup/
Enjoy & goodluck!
I made that soup ….. at the time I substituted spinach for the kale…its really good.
I had the Maple Baked Lentils last night…another big hit with me…I am having the leftovers tonight with coconut rice…
Thanks again Angela
Glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know.
Yum sound so good Angela and I’m loving the rustic look to the pics too!!! And seriously, that bread looks mighty delicious to pair with this dish!!! I just used some green lentils in a soup last night but I think I know what I’ll be using them for next time ;)