Stupid Easy Somewhat Healthy Saute

Let me just preface this recipe by saying that just about everything we cook is stupid-easy and somewhat healthy, sometimes entirely healthy.  So from now on, just assume that all recipes here are easy.  Unless I write "Really Difficult" in the title.

Also, let me apologize for not having a fancy kitchen or fancy camera.  I'm a fan of using my iPhone camera instead of the Canon DSLR (need to work on that), and we have a rental so the kitchen is not exactly stylish.  It does, however, have a gas stove and lots of storage.  So, I can't really complain.  But it is ugly.

As an aside, this ugly rental kitchen has hosted several parties a year, some of which we feed upwards of 30 people at.  So, not too shabby.  My point is, you can do it, too!

The above picture is of a quick sauté we put together the other day.  I am a huge fan of Trader Joe's, but you can probably find the stuff elsewhere.  If you don't like to cook, don't know how, or don't have the time, I hope this recipe and others on the blog will change your mind.

Let's get cracking!

You'll need:

- Half pound of bacon or another fat source like a few glugs of oil
- Mirepoix mix or: one onion, two carrots, and two celery stalks (eyeball them), all diced, one pound total
- cooked lentils (about one pound cooked)
- at least one pound of greens of your choice.  Here, we used red spinach and green spinach.
- season to your taste:  always salt and fresh-cracked pepper, and here I added some garlic powder and French thyme.

1. We started this out by putting about half a pound of bacon in a hot pot.  If you're a veg, you can use olive oil or fake bacon.  I prefer thick-cut and as free of additives as you can get.  We sliced it into half-inch chunks.  It'll cook down.
2. When bacon has rendered fat and begun to brown, add mirepoix.  Mirepoix, which is not in the spelling dictionary on this word processor, is a combination of diced/minced onions, carrots, and celery.  "Your aromatics," as some may say.  The Italian word for it is sofrito.  In Cajun cooking, they use red bell peppers instead of carrots in their "Holy Trinity."  Again, Trader Joe's commercial:  they make a pre-chopped container of mirepoix, or as one lady there asked for it, "soup starter."  Yes, it's fresh and it's fine and dandy.  Or, you can buy the items separately and process them.  Since we were lazy, we got the container, and didn't even need to use a chef's knife when preparing this.  More time to drink beer!
3. When carrots begin to soften and onions are translucent, add the cooked lentils.  You might need to break them up if they are in a container like the one Trader Joe's has--they are all stuck in a block.  Let the bacon grease coat them and everything meld and soften.
4. When everything starts to get browned, lentils are broken down and warm, and mirepoix is well on its way to rendering out all its flavors, add the greens.  This is the fun part.  You might need to add them in batches because huge amounts break down into a tiny little bit.  Can you imagine all those NUTRIENTS in those greens?  Holy smokes.  Amazing.  You'll feel like Popeye the Sailor Man after this.  Please tell me you understand that reference.  If not, YouTube it.  All you do is stir those greens around, coat them with the pan liquid, and things wilt down.  Keep stirring for a few minutes and you will have something similar to what's pictured above.
5. Correct the seasoning, as you never know how salty the bacon will make things (usually I need to add a bit more salt).  Add the other seasoning.  Mix and sit to meld flavors.
6. You can let it sit or eat right away.  I encourage you to play around with ratios and ingredients.  Maybe you don't like lentils (what's wrong with you?)--you can sub out any other bean or legume.  This is a vegan meal if you leave out the bacon and add vegetable oil of some sort.  Any green that benefits from being cooked will work here.  You can add bell peppers, too (lots of nutrients), add broth to turn it into a soup or stew, or plop a poached or over-medium egg on top to make things rich.  The sky's the limit when you're cooking.  Cooking is fun!

I hope you give this a go the next time you want something quick and are too hungry to even find time to get takeout.  This is quicker than takeout.