all dahl-ed up

This red lentil dahl packs a protein punch and a subtle hit of heat.

Last spring I did Dr. Jodi Larry’s 10-day Cleanse for Life program. No gluten, no sugar, no dairy, no soy, no red meat, no coffee, no peanut butter, no booze, no smoking of any kind. I’ll admit, I was nervous. I expected to feel deprived.

Well, I can’t say enough about the experience, as you can see from my testimonial below. I loved doing this group detox so much that I’m doing it again this spring—after the Gluten Free Garage! This red lentil dahl is just one of the many super-delicious recipes that Dr. Jodi shared with us.

I could go on for paragraphs about how much I got out of the 11-day group cleanse I recently did with naturopath Jodi Larry—the food was super yummy, I wasn’t hungry at all, it totally curbed my sugar cravings, I discovered some new delicious ingredients to cook and bake with, I felt so supported by Jodi and my fellow cleansers, Jodi inspired me immensely, her daily emails lifted my spirits and encouraged me to be creative in my kitchen, I loved the ritual of waking up every morning to my lemon water and green tea (and still do!), and so on. Oh, and the raw chocolate hazelnut brownies. But there are two utterly invaluable things that I am carrying forward with me from this life-changing experience. First, Jodi gave me the tools I need to keep cooking and eating so healthily and deliciously. That’s what makes this cleanse different from the others that I’ve tried. It is completely sustainable. I’ve adopted so many aspects of it that are now a part of my daily life. And, second, I now have a level of self-awareness around my cravings and habits and vices that I didn’t have before. This is thanks to Jodi and her wisdom, insight and loving-kind ways.

Dig in!

Dr. Jodi’s Red Lentil Dahl

2 tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp black mustard seeds
1½ tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 large carrots
1 to 3 sweet potatoes
2½ cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups water
1 can coconut milk
2 tsp sea salt

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat, then add black mustard seeds and cumin seeds; sauté until they begin to pop. Quickly add onions and garlic, and sauté until soft. Add turmeric, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, carrots and sweet potatoes. Sauté a few minutes more.

Add red lentils, water and coconut milk, and stir well. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 45 minutes, covered. Add sea salt to taste. While dal is simmering, cook quinoa.

I like to add chopped lacinato kale to the dal right near the end. Serve with quinoa and garnish with dried cranberries.