Lentil Sloppy Joes (22g Protein)

Sloppy joes were built for lentils — the sauce does the talking, the lentils bring 22g of protein a serving, and the whole thing is one pot and mostly unattended. It’s soft, saucy comfort food, which is exactly the texture a GLP-1 stomach tends to want.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp mild chilli powder
• 250g dried brown lentils
• 1 x 400g tin fire-roasted or regular chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1½ tbsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
• 750ml low-salt vegetable stock
• 4 wholemeal buns, toasted

Method

1. 1Soften the onion and red pepper in a large pot with a splash of the stock over a medium heat, about 5 minutes.
2. 2Stir in the chilli powder and cook for 30 seconds, then add the lentils, chopped tomatoes, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, rice vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and the rest of the stock.
3. 3Bring to the boil, then cover, drop the heat to low and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and the sauce is thick and glossy. Uncover for the last 10 minutes if it needs to thicken.
4. 4Pile onto the toasted buns and eat with a fork nearby — the name is honest.

Tips for GLP-1 appetites

• This freezes beautifully in single portions — future-you on a flat day will be grateful.
• Serve over half a bun, open-faced, if a whole one is more bread than your appetite wants.