A while back, My good friend Lauren was doing a series on Lentils and a giveaway. I participated in a survery for a chance to win a buttload of lentils. Sadly, i did not win. But a few weeks later I got a small envelope filled with a cup of green lentils! I may not have been a winner but I definitely didnt come out empty handed.
When I thought about the lentils, I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to do with them and they are too awesome to just sit in the bag… Thats when i thought about my early adventures in the kitchen. I could NEVER make a sloppy joe. NEVER. My ex would scratch his head and wonder how i can make tomato sauce from scratch and not make his favorite childhood dish of sloppy joes…My sauce would always taste sweet and off putting and never like the kind we used to go ape shit for in middle school.
And I found a recipe for Snobby Joes. All the flavor of a Sloppy Joe but way better because instead of ground meat, we are using: LENTILS!
I’m gonna let ya’ll know right now- It was GOOD…

To start, You’ll need:
1 cup of dry lentils (+ 4 cups of water to boil)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup of tomato paste
1 tsp mustard
3 tablespoons of maple syrup
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tsp salt
Boil the lentils in 4 cups of water for 20- 25 minutes or until they are soft.
While the lentils are boiling, prep you garlic, onion and pepper.
(pretty colors!) With about 10 minutes or so left on the lentils…

Saute pepper and onion for 8 minutes in a medium sauce pot over Medium heat.Then add the garlic and let cook for two mins, also over a medium heat.

When the lentils are done, drain them and add them to the pot with the peppers and onions. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder and salt.

(try not to Fog up your lense) Let the mixture cook (stirring occassionally) for about 10 mins on a lower heat and then add mustard and maple syrup and allow to heat through. Taste. Plate. Serve on the bread or bun of your choice ( i chose Arnold Sandwich thins – Thanks FoodBuzz!)

It would be a really good time to show you what a snobby joe looks like on some bread… but in my excitement over this huge success, i kinda just went for it.
Nostalgic. Healthy. Yummy. and EASY!
And for those on a budget, this was really affordable! One cup of lentils in this recipe made 6 hefty portions of the snobby stuff.
I believe with my whole heart that this recipe will complete you. Filling a nostalgic void and also taking a healthy approach to a childhood favorite. Betcha the kids wont be able to tell its good for them!
…all i need now are some tater tots…

P.S.
Highlights from the Bachlorette party…. the PG stuff…
Tower of pee pee cupcakes.
Cuppycakes.
Holding the Bride To Be’s tiara while she… had fun. 🙂