Recipe: Lentil Empanadas

You've got lentils sitting around in your pantry and you use them regularly, right?

This recipe today is the main reason I keep lentils in my pantry.  Who doesn't love a slightly sweet (hmm..is that cinnamon and raisin) but truly savory handheld pie for dinner?!  After the first time I made this and tasted it's awesomeness, I now always make a double batch because for just a little more effort I have a great meal ready to go in my freezer for those busy nights when I need dinner fast!

Lentils are nutritional powerhouses, packed with a ton of vitamins, minerals and fiber.  They are a great substitute for ground beef as they have a similar appearance and can take on flavor easily.  In addition to this recipe, I use lentils to make Sloppy Lenny's (lentil sloppy joes) as well as to stretch the ground beef and add nutrition to my meatloaf.  If you buy a bag for this recipe you'll have enough left to experiment on your own!

Lentil Empanadas
     Serves: 8 empanadas
     Time: ~50mins total (prep and cook)

Ingredients
- 1/2 heaping cup of dried brown lentils, soaked overnight and drained (see Notes)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 box (2 crusts) pre-made refrigerated pie crusts

Directions
0. Preheat oven to 375* and place your pie crusts on the counter to come to room temperature.
1. Place soaked/drained lentils in a sauce pan, cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and cook for about 8-10 minutes until cooked through and soft.
2. Drain off any excess water and add spices, vinegar and raisins to lentils.  Mix and mash gently to form a cohesive mixture.
3. Unroll each pie crust and cut into 4 equal quarters.
4. Fold each quarter in half gently to determine the middle and fill with a heaping spoonful of the lentil mixture.  Fold over and seal the edges by pressing with a fork.  Poke holes in the top to allow steam to escape.
5. Place empanadas on a parchment lined or lightly greases baking sheet.
6. (optional) Spray tops of empanadas with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.
7. Bake at 375* for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

• This recipe calls for a "heaping" measuring cup of lentils as I've found you need slightly more than 1/2 cup but not quite 3/4 cup of lentils to make 8 empanadas.  If you are doubling the recipe, use a very generous 1 cup scoop.  The amount you need also depends on how much your lentils expand during cooking and how generous you are filling your empanadas.    
• It may seem like an extra step to soak your lentils but it saves a ton of time.  Unsoaked lentils take about 40 minutes to cook once boiling whereas soaked lentils take about 10 minutes.  It's worth the night-before effort!
• To freeze, simply cook as directed above and flash freeze flat on a baking sheet.  Once frozen solid, store in a labeled gallon freezer bag.   
• Because this is a handheld main dish, I like to keep the sides simple and usually stick to apple slices or other eat-by-hand fruit.  It make the meal fun for the whole family.