This recipe was loosely inspired by that casserole that people used to make that had rice, chicken, cheese, and cream of mushroom soup in it. It's a vegetarian (vegan, actually, if you don't use cheese), gluten-free, vegetable-full, healthy, and cheap alternative that's pretty easy to make. Merry Christmas!
Ingredients:
Leftover cooked rice or quinoa, about 2-3 cups
1/3 cup uncooked red lentils (don't worry, they'll cook in the tomato juice)
Chopped or shredded vegetables - I like to use chopped onions (about 1 whole onion), 4-5 stalks of chopped celery, and 2-3 shredded carrots, but you can vary the vegetables according to what you have in your fridge
1 19 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes, NOT drained
Grated cheese - optional
Directions:
Shredded vegetables can be put in raw, but if you're using chopped onions or any kind of root vegetable, I recommend steaming/boiling/sauteeing them first until soft. Once the vegetables are ready, mix all the ingredients and spread into a casserole dish that looks big enough to hold everything. If you're using cheese, you can either mix some in or sprinkle some on top (or both). Bake at 350 F, uncovered, for 40-60 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the lentils are soft.
