Sub the lamb for lentils

When following Lucy's Moussaka recipe you can replace the ingredients listed from onions through passata with the ingredients

listed below and then follow the Fry method below:

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil,

1 red onion, sliced

1 can of cooked lentils

2 medium carrots, sliced

1 - 2 celery stalks, sliced (optional)

1 lb crimini mushrooms

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano and or/marjoram

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ tablespoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

800ml passata

Time

Prep Time - 10 minutes

Cook Time - 25 minutes

Serves

8


Storage

Keeps well in the refrigerator for 3- 4 days and reheats beautifully

METHOD

Fry. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery (if using), salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and oregano/thyme/marjoram (if using). Sauté for 7 minutes or longer, until the vegetables soften up. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 8 minutes, until the water released by the mushrooms evaporates and they begin to brown. Add garlic and stir around for another minute.

Add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, cinnamon and nutmeg (if using), to the pot with the mushrooms. Stir to combine, then cover and cook for 5 minutes for the flavours to incorporate.


This substitution recipe is already 100% plant-based!
To make this plastic-free you could buy your vegetables and mushrooms fresh, loose and plastic-free from markets, CSA programs and even some supermarkets.
Spices and dried herbs can be purchased loose and in bulk from a bulk store or bulk section of your supermarket and you can use your own jars and bags. Check out some of the stores in the Sea to Sky, Vancouver area and more here.
The lentils could also be bought in their dried form and package-free from the bulk options listed above and then soaked and cooked ahead of time.
Support your local farmers by looking to your local Farmers' Market and stockists of locally farmed vegetables and products.
Onions are typically available fresh in BC August through March, carrots June through January, celery June through October and mushrooms year round.
Check out what foods are in season in BC when HERE.
You can also look at We Heart Local BC for updates each month as to what's in season.Another great way to ensure you're using seasonal produce is to subscribe to a CSA Box with a local farm and structure your meals around the seasonal produce you've received that week!

*Adapted from Golubka Kitchen's Vegan Lentil Moussaka