Roasted Beets & Carrots with Lentils & Feta

Coming up with a veggie dish to accompany your protein is sometimes a bit of a chore. We generally have our go-to flavours that we stick with each meal, or the vegetables can become a bit of an after thought.
 
This dish celebrates veggies and pulses in a recipe that can be enjoyed as a meal in itself, or an accompaniment to a beautiful piece of meat. If you’re having people over, another way to enjoy this is to create two or three other dishes and enjoy a myriad of flavours in one meal. Our Crispy Loaf with Leeks and Honey is a great addition to a meal like this, along with a beautiful Cashew Satay with chicken and perhaps a baked brie with honey and chilli.
 
Pulses are an often forgotten food, but they are packed full of vital nutrients that are rich in iron, Vitamin B6 and fiber. Lentils are particularly great for replacing mince in many dishes and they take on the flavours you put with them, making them ideal for use in casseroles and slow cooks. Also rich in potassium, zinc and magnesium, lentils are a fabulous addition to your weekly recipe roster.
 
Our Roast Beets and Carrots with lentils and feta are drizzled with Manuka Honey which also provides you with methylglyoxal and non-peroxide activity. Manuka Honey is famous for its antibacterial and prebiotic nature and can support healthy digestion as part of a nutritious, balanced diet.
 
The perfect Manuka Honey for this dish, as it is not heated, is UMF 10+ Raw Manuka Honey which is rich in flavour and high in methylglyoxal.
 
You can choose to replace the feta with a plant based cheese and the yoghurt with a plant based yoghurt.
 
Enjoy!
The Steens Team

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 1/2 cups (200 g) dry French green lentils, rinsed and picked over

• 1 small yellow onion, quartered

• 1 large bay leaf

• fine sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• 1 bunch beets (any colour, or a combination), scrubbed, trimmed, and cut into eighths

• 1 bunch carrots, scrubbed, trimmed, halved lengthwise (if small) or cut into 1/2-inch slices (if large)

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, more as needed

• 1 cup (235 ml) plain full-fat yogurt or coconut yoghurt

• 1 large clove garlic, put through a press or minced

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, more as needed

• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish

• 1/4 cup dill, chopped, plus more for garnish

• 4 ounces feta cheese or plant based feta, crumbled

• 1/2 cup (70 g) toasted almonds, coarsely chopped if whole

• 1 tbsp UMF 10+ Manuka Honey
  
  

Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 425ºF (220ºC)

Place the lentils in a medium saucepan, cover with 3 inches of water, and add the onion and bay leaf. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are tender but still holding a shape, 20 to 30 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt toward the end of the cooking time, and more water if needed. Drain the lentils and discard the onion and bay leaf.

Meanwhile, toss the beets and carrots with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until browned and tender, tossing them halfway through cooking, 25 to 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, chopped parsley and dill, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Combine the olive oil, a good squeeze of lemon and 1 tbsp Manuka Honey in a small food processor or smoothie blender and pulse until combined.

When ready to serve, toss the lentils with the dressing, and (if needed) salt and pepper to taste. Place the lentils on a large platter (or divide among 4 plates or shallow bowl) and top with the roasted vegetables, feta, extra herbs, and almonds. Drizzle with the yogurt sauce and pass extra sauce at the table. Serve warm or at room temperature.