Lentil, Brown Rice, and Mushroom Pilaf image

Protein and folate promote your baby’s cell, nervous system, and muscle development, while fiber keeps your digestion on track.

SERVES 5

EARTHY and delicious, this lentil, brown rice, and mushroom casserole packs a healthy punch. For a more intense mushroom flavor, mushroom broth can be used in place of vegetable stock. Vegetarians or vegans who need more protein can add cubed tofu in Step 2 with the lentils. Don’t have brown rice? Use long- or medium-grain white rice and reduce the cooking time to about one hour. Also, feel free to mix the grains, using half rice and half quinoa. Top with lots of nutrient-dense nuts and seeds, and/or Parmesan cheese, if you can eat dairy. This pilaf keeps for three days refrigerated.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and quartered

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¾ cup dried green lentils, picked over and rinsed

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 teaspoon salt

5 cups vegetable stock

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, bell pepper, thyme, and oregano and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the lentils and rice and sauté for 1 minute. Add the salt and stock and bring to a boil.

• Carefully transfer the contents of the skillet to an 8 × 8 × 2-inch Pyrex baking dish. Bake for 2 hours, or until the rice and lentils in the center of the casserole are soft and the liquid is absorbed, covering the dish with parchment paper or foil during the last 30 minutes of baking. Serve hot.

1 cup pilaf: Calories: 206 cals; Protein: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Fat: 5 g; Fiber: 9 g; Sodium: 879 mg; Folate: 110 mcg; 2 CARBS