Brown lentils have been a part of Mediterranean diets for thousands of years. These inexpensive legumes are like gold in terms of nutrition and taste. The best part is that they are easy to cook and versatile in recipes. Often, on Sunday mornings, I cook a big pot and enjoy it while reading my Sunday paper.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and chopped (optional)
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 ¾ cups rinsed brown lentils
• 8 ½ cups water
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• Juice of 1 lemon, plus extra to serve
• Salt and pepper to taste

Serve with fresh lemon

Instructions:

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, celery, carrots, both peppers, salt, and cumin. Sauté until tender and lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Add the lentils and water, and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are very soft, about 40 minutes. Turn off the stove, add the spinach, give it a good mix, and squeeze the juice of one fresh lemon.
3. Serve hot with a quarter of lemon in each serving bowl. The fresh lemon juice is a must.