It was one of those days when things are just not meant to go as planned. That’s not necessarily bad because eventually, things will work out somehow. In this particular case, I’ve discovered that the lentil stew ingredients can be simply used for a very delicious cannelloni dish! Oh yes, you read that right: lentil stew ingredients. I usually do make compromises regarding food, since it -honestly- pays off. I get to enjoy the meal then, and Juanpi does too – so, we’re both happy. And in case our wishes don’t meet at all (which doesn’t really happen often), I would just make 2 types of meal. It takes more time and more dishes to wash – but all for the sake of a happy meal.

Brown lentils are the kind of food that I normally try not to mess with too much – according to him, brown lentil stew is a sacred dish for a Spaniard. Amen. Surprisingly, he agreed on the idea of using them for the cannelloni dish and I was like left with my mouth open but instantly hurried into the kitchen and started preparing it. I had no clue how these cannelloni would taste, yet I believed they could have been edible. We both like cannelloni AND lentils – so what could possibly go wrong??

For the cannelloni filling, I combined lentils with chicken and some grated vegetables, I mixed in an egg which, as we know, works as a binder. Instead of a rich and heavy bechamel topping, I prepared a tomato sauce with a touch of light cooking cream which worked really well. Served with a bowl of lettuce, this meal was more than satisfying and moreover, I will be making it soon again!

Ingredients for 2:
100g cooked brown lentils
half a cooked chicken breast, deboned and finely chopped
1 egg
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, grated
1 small zucchino, grated
salt and pepper to taste
a dash of each sweet paprika and grated nutmeg
a little bunch of fresh herbs (I used parsley and thyme), chopped
olive oil
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
150ml (oat) cream for cooking
basil leaves
some grated cheese (your favorite)
10-12 cooked  cannelloni (al dente)

1. To make the filling, mash the cooked lentils in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, sweet paprika, nutmeg, chopped parsley and thyme. Add the egg, chopped onion, grated carrot, zucchino, chopped chicken and mix well. Set aside.
2. To make the tomato sauce, heat some olive oil in a pan and sauté the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and add the cream. Cook for a few more minutes and add the basil leaves.
3. Fill the cooked cannelloni with the lentil filling and arrange them in the bottom of an oiled oven-proof dish. Top with tomato sauce, sprinkle with some grated cheese and transfer the dish into the oven. Bake until golden brown.

I could claim that this is one healthy dish. Lentils are one of those super-foods that everyone should indulge in as often as possible, and overall the dish contains very few fat – coming from olive oil and vegetable cooking cream, both naturally cholesterol free. I’m so happy to have discovered this oat-based cooking cream, it lends a pleasant, silky touch to the dish, creamy but light at the same time. It definitely makes a great alternative to dairy cream. Nevertheless, this is one pretty flexible dish – just like most of the ones I publish here, so feel free to adapt it to your liking.