A 1/4 cup serving size of publix dry lentils packs 70 kcal, 8g protein, 9g fiber (36%DV) and 15%DV iron. Package directions said 2 cups lentils to 6-8 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook ~20 minutes or until tender for 6 cups cooked volume. This seemed like an excessive amount of water. I'll buy the idea that they'll absorb 1.5-2 times their dry volume in water, but 3+ times? Sounds like a recipe for flavorless mush.

I figured 3/4 cup dry (i.e. 3 nominal servings) would yield a satisfying 1.5-2 cups cooked. By the time you add greens and barley it's at least half a day's protein, even by my "greedy" 65-75g target on PT days.

So I put a half cup each of frozen chopped spinach and broccoli cuts in the pot with 1.5 cup dry lentils and 3 cups liquid (2/3 cup sauv blanc and 2+2/3 cups water), plus a few shakes of lite salt and ~2 tbsp olive oil.

After 10 minutes at a moderate simmer, there was still a lot of unabsorbed liquid, but the lentils had a nice crisp-but-not-crunchy texture and the fragrance was inviting. I gave it another 10 minutes at a lower simmer, and set aside to cool a little before serving.

Unlike my bean recipes, the broccoli cuts were still firm and the spinach distinct. This stage alone makes a decent meal. Lentils on their own do not have much of a flavor, so the greens and wine dominate. Theirs is a very happy marriage though.

210 kcal may not seem like nearly enough to satisfy, but the olive oil alone adds 120 kcal and the wine, broccoli and spinach probably bring this part of the meal up to 400 kcal.