Mmmmm! I remember reading one of those travelogue books decades ago in white a white explorer hires sherpas to travel up the Himalayas or someplace like that; and the sherpas packed lentils because they were so lightweight to carry, yet easy to cook into a nourishing protein-rich stew in the evenings.
I love the Italian lentil soup with garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and olive oil, with parmesan and basil on top. It is outstanding with whole wheat bread and some tomato slices on the side.
I also love to prepare large steamed artichokes (they are cheaper in season) with a thick, garlicky lentil soup. You pull off the leaves and use them like a spoon to scoop up the lentils into your mouth, then pull the artichoke meat off the leaf with your bottom front teeth. You and all the guests throw the tough part of the leaves into a big bowl in the center of the table. Then you wipe up any leftover soup in your bowls with torn pieces of brown bread and pop those in your mouth. Everything tastes sweeter after you eat artichoke, with its natural aspartame. Heaven!
