TL/DR – Baked Feta and Lentils. Chunks of fresh feta cheese nestled in Madras Lentils over sautéed fennel, radish, onion, garlic and green olives and baked. A great vegetarian appetizer to serve with toasts, chips or flatbread. –
This is a recipe that came together around my love of this product: Tasty Bite Organic Madras Lentils. It is now sold in most major grocery chains, along with several other varieties of healthy, pre-made Indian dishes. I love its simplicity and versatility. It heats in 90 seconds but it is far from the typical grocery store center aisle “food product.”
Start by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees F, then thinly slice a head of fennel, (a.k.a. anise,) about 6 medium radishes, and half of a yellow onion. Mince two cloves of garlic and roughly chop a half a cup of drained and rinsed green olives. Sauté the fennel, radishes, onions and garlic in olive oil for about seven minutes, then hit the pan with some white wine vinegar.
Spoon the veggies into the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish, then top them with a packet of Tasty Bite Madras Lentils and the chopped olives. Add half inch cubes of feta cheese cut from an 8 oz block and bake covered for 10 minutes, then uncovered for 20 minutes longer. The result is a healthy, warm, soft, salty and slightly crunchy dip that you can serve with chips, toast triangles or even flatbread.
Also try Green Protein Dip, which can be served cold or baked.
Baked Feta with Lentils
Chunks of fresh feta cheese nestled in Madras Lentils over sautéed fennel, radish, onion, garlic and green olives and baked.
Ingredients
- 1 small head fennel, halved and very thinly sliced, about 1 c
- 5 or 6 medium radishes, sliced very thinly, about 1/2 c
- 1/2 yellow onion, halved and sliced very thinly
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 T white wine vinegar
- 1 packet Tasty Bite Organic Madras Lentils
- 1/2 c green olives, roughly chopped
- 8 oz feta cheese chunk, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- French bread, chips or flatbread for serving
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Step 2 In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat, then add the fennel, radishes, onion and garlic. Sauté for five minutes, then add the white wine vinegar and allow it to cook off.
- Step 3 Coat a 2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray, then distribute the sautéed vegetables evenly over the bottom.
- Step 4 Add the Madras Lentils and smooth them over the vegetables in an even layer, then sprinkle on the chopped olives. Top with the feta chunks.
- Step 5 Cover and bake for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 minutes longer. Serve with slices of French bread toasted, any kind of chip or flatbread.
