Hearty Lentils, Rice & Green Beans with Mustard Dill Sauce

Recipe from Blue Zones.

A zesty mustard dressing makes this meal the right mix of tangy and sweet!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Brown rice
• 2 tbsps Water
• 1/2 cup Green lentils
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsps Apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp Dried dill
• 1 tbsp Mustard
• 4 cups Green beans
• 1 Tomato
• 2 tsps Cumin
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the rice. Add the dry rice to a pot. You will need 2.5 times as much water as rice. Add water to the pot, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 35-45 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. Check on the rice periodically to prevent any sticking or burning on the bottom. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, and enjoy! Looking for a faster option? Cook in a rice cooker or just use pre-cooked/frozen rice.
2. NOTE: Choose varieties of brown rice with lowest risk of arsenic content, such as Basmati rice sourced from California, India, and Pakistan, or Jasmine rice from Thailand. To be extra safe, cook rice at a 6:1 ratio of water to rice then drain, which can reduce arsenic by 40%.
3. For the green lentils: While the brown rice is cooking, bring water and green lentils to a boil in a separate pot. (Your water measurement should be 2.5 times the green lentil measurement.) Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until water is absorbed and green lentils have softened. Add more water if needed.
4. Mince the garlic. Then, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients (olive oil, water, apple cider vinegar, dried dill, mustard, and garlic) together in a bowl until combined and set aside. (To make this recipe oil-free, substitute water for olive oil. Without the oil, the flavor will be more potent, so taste test as you go!)
5. Produce Prep: While the brown rice and green lentils are cooking, wash the green beans and remove stems. Rinse and chop the tomato.
6. In a separate pan or wok with a lid, add a small amount of water and bring up to medium heat. Then add the green beans, cover and steam for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and removing the pan from the heat before the green beans lose their bright green color. (Or, save yourself a pan and just add the green beans to the lentil pot for the last 5 minutes of lentil cooking.)
7. Combine the brown rice, green lentils, cumin, and tomato with salt and pepper to taste. Plate this mixture with the green beans and top with mustard vinaigrette. If you have cilantro, feel free to add some. Enjoy!
8. Grocery stores don't always have dried dill, so feel free to swap it out with fresh dill or another delicious herb like cilantro or parsley.
9. Kid-Friendly Tip: The official Lighter 6-year old Taste Tester prefers this one without the mustard and dill dressing. Tossing the green lentils, brown rice, green beans and tomato with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper is all she needs to make the perfect meal. This may work for your child, too!