I had never cooked lentils before but this was the perfect dinner for winter-y comfort, a balanced dinner, and for speed! The lentils were so fast in the pressure cooker, or would be an easy one to prep the night before and the chicken sausage was fully cooked so they just needed a quick sear. Voila!

Ingredients:

8 oz lentils
2 cups water (I used half water, half chicken stock)
2 cloves garlic
salt & pepper (I used Krazy Pepper)
3 carrots
2 small potatoes
2 cups fresh spinach
chicken sausage

Directions:

Chop the potatoes, carrots, and garlic. Add to a pressure cooker with the lentils, water, salt & pepper. (See below for stovetop directions)
Cook according to your machine. Mine cooked for 10 minutes.
Bring a skillet to medium heat and sear the sausage in a drizzle of olive oil.
When the lentils are cooked and tender to the bite, stir well. Add in a splash more water if most of the moisture has evaporated.

Add in the spinach and stir again just until it wilts from the heat.
Serve a scoop of the lentil & veggies onto the plate.

Slice the sausage and serve over the top.

For stovetop lentils:
Bring lentils & water to a boil in a heavy pot. Then reduce the heat to medium low for 20-30 minutes. Here’s a good lentil tutorial.

This hit the spot. It was so fast and was such a great side dish that got to be the star of the plate! The little one enjoyed the lentils and I have another stash for a rainy day. It made plenty for 2 of us to have for dinner, Mr. J to take for lunch, and for the little guy to have some the next night for dinner…so 4 servings.

Lentils are speedy in the pressure cooker but since they reheat well, if you’re making them on the stove: put the pot on the night before and store them in the fridge once they’ve cooked. Then you just warm them and add the spinach before serving. They don’t need a ton of stirring or babysitting so you can catch up on The Bachelor, or whatever you do before bed.