I love legume dip. As anyone that has ever invited me anywhere knows, it's pretty much my go-to snack contribution in almost all circumstances, and I love to mix up the flavour profiles.

Not only are dips super easy, but beans are high in fiber and protein, and have a low-moderate glycemic load (the amount of carbohydrates a food contains X the effect it has on our blood sugar), plus they are full of nutrients. They do contain phytates, which inhibit absorption of some minerals (especially zinc and iron) in the food we're ingesting, and they do inhibit many digestive enzymes, but in moderation (even a few times per week), this is fairly irrelevant, and the pros far outweigh the cons.

I love legumes, and I love alliteration. Curried lentils, depending on their preparation, are called daal in India. Thus, henceforth this recipe is called Daal Dip!

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Daal Dip:

1 cup dry red lentils

3 cloves garlic- chopped or whole (by the end they're usually mush anyway)

1 tbsp curry powder (this is super vague and going to vary widely, but I love the one from Herbie's Herbs in Toronto)

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the lentils and garlic cloves to a boil in 3 cups of water, simmer on medium-low for about 30-40 minutes, or until it has reached the desired dip consistency. Stir periodically- this will smooth out the texture of both the beans and garlic. Add the curry powder, sesame oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. It's best warm, but also fantastic after refrigeration.

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Aaaand you're done! How easy was that?! Enjoy with chopped veggies such as cucumber, carrots, broccoli, celery, and peppers.

FYI: I like to have bean dip on hand pretty much at all times, so I usually double this recipe... at least.

Lastly, if you experience gas or bloating when consuming beans and legumes, you may be poorly absorbing the specific carbohydrates in this group. A FODMAP diet may be worth looking into, or go see your friendly neighbourhood naturopath for individualized treatment!