Skillet Beef with Lentils

This recipe is along the lines of Hamburger Helper, the lentil version. It is much tastier, healthier and almost as easy as Hamburger Helper. It comes from my favorite cookbook, More-With-Less, but I have adapted it to make it quicker.

Skillet Beef with Lentils

1 1/2 cup lentils
water
2 bouillon cubes
1/2 cup brown rice
2T butter
2 medium onions
1 clove garlic
1 t sugar
1 t salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t pepper
1 T cider vinegar

Boil 1 qt of water in a saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups lentils. Cook 20 minutes. Drain, but reserve liquid. While cooking lentils, cook 1/4 cup brown rice for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, saute 2 T butter, 2 medium onions, chopped, and one clove garlic, minced. Stir in 1 lb ground beef (you can get away with about 3/4 lb). Brown well and dissolve 2 beef bouillon cubes in the 2 1/3 cup reserved liquid. Add liquid to meat mixture, simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in lentils, cooked rice, 1 t sugar, 1 t salt, 1 t ground cumin, 1/2 t pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils and rice are tender and liquid is absorbed. Add more liquid if necessary. Stir in 1 T cider vinegar. Top with ketchup if you like (I do!)

My other new fav meal on a budget is crockpot potatoes wtih delicious chili on top!
For more great dinners (el cheapo style) visit The Natural Mommy!