Lentil-Walnut Pate

There are lots of recipes for lentil-walnut pate. Some are made with red lentils and others with green lentils. This recipe was posted on an earlier blog but it is still a tasty and delicious use of red lentils. Try this if you want to eat a healthier version of chopped liver. Thanks to all of my macrobiotic friends who have taught me to cook these wonderful dishes.

Ingredients
2 cups red lentils
1 bay leaf
4 cups water
1 TBS shoyu
1 TBS olive oil
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp dried basil
1 1/2 cups toasted walnut pieces
Minced parsley
2 TBS umeboshi vinegar (available in the Asian aisle of the supermarket)
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Bring lentils, bay leaf and water to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Season the lentils with the shoyu or salt and cook for another 5 minutes.
While the lentils are cooking heat the oil in a pan and add the onion,garlic and basil. Cook until the onions are slightly cooked—I like them a little undercooked for this recipe.
Place the lentils, cooked onion mixture, walnuts, parsley and vinegars in the food processor. Puree until smooth and creamy. Serve with raw veggies or toasted pita chips.
Happy,heatlhy eating.