Did you know that May is Love Your Lentils month?
If you’re a lentil lova like me, you know that they are very healthy, eco-friendly (they give back to the environment by replacing nitrogen in the soil they are grown in) and they are a super easy to use ingredient for any dish.
Betcha didn’t know these 5 fun lentil facts:
- In 2013 over 2.4 million acres of lentils were planted in Canada by over 5,000 lentil growers, resulting in 1.8 million tonnes of lentils being produced.
- India is the biggest importer of Canadian green lentils and Turkey is the biggest importer of Canadian red lentils.
- There are 8.5 grams of fibre and 7 grams of protein in just half a cup of cooked Canadian lentils.
- Canadian Lentils are an excellent source of the micronutrients folate and iron, and a good source of selenium and zinc.
- Saskatchewan is the largest lentil-growing province in Saskatchewan, accounting for 95 per cent of total Canadian production.
On May 1, 2014, Canadian Lentils launched a new web series called “Lentil Hunter with Chef Michael Smith”. THE Chef Michael Smith, you know, Food Network host, cookbook author, nutrition activist, and food media producer? Yes, him!
Michael is Prince Edward Island’s food ambassador, Canada’s best selling cookbook author, teacher, professional chef and home cook. He led the team of chefs that cooked for the worlds Olympians in the Whistler Athletes Village in 2010. His eighth cookbook, Family Meals, hits the stands this fall. His food media production company is breaking new ground online and on Twitter he’s Canada’s top choice for foodie fun.
In the series he travels the globe in search of delicious lentil recipes that are authentic yet simple to implement in a home kitchen.
Some of the fabulous recipes he’s found include:
- A hearty traditional appetizer of Moroccan Lentils & Table Bread (Marrakech, Morocco)
- Delightfully Crispy Lentil Fritters (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
- A tangy sweet and spicy Gujarati Thali with Lentil & Basmati Rice (Ahmedabad, India)
- A rustic dish of Umbrian Lentils & Sausage (Norcia, Italy)
- A classic light French Lentil Soufflé with Star Anise (Le Puy-En-Velay, France)
Sounds yummy right?
Well, how would YOU like to win a chance to MEET Chef Michael Smith in Prince Edward Island and attend the annual Village Feast event July 4th to 7th, 2014?
It’s quite simple, just spot the Mini-Chef in each “Lentil Hunter with Chef Michael Smith” webisode.
Wait, there’s more! Who doesn’t love a great Twitter Party? Look no further! Below are the details for more opportunities to win!
HASHTAG: #LentilHunter
Date: Tuesday May 13, 2014
Time: 9:00pm EST
Hosts: @ChefMichaelSmith
Moderators: @CDNLentils @FoodBloggersCA @ShesConnected
RSVP Page: http://shesconnectedblog.com/lentilhunter/
Twubs Page: http://twubs.com/lentilhunter
Prizing:
Three (3 ) Vanity bags (Value$40 each),
Three (3) Carry on Bags- (Value $140 each);
Three (3) Large suitcases (Value $220 each);
Ten (10) Signed” Back to Basics: 100 Simple Classic Recipes with a Twist” books by Chef Michael Smith – (Value $32 each)
Hope to see you there!