This is a delicious, quick and filling dinner. This recipe is minimally spiced, but it can easily be modified by into an Indian Curry by adding more spices, or into a soup by adding more broth.
Clean and dice 1 or 2 Leeks to make 2 C. Rinse 2-3 carrots and dice. Mince 2 cloves of garlic.
Soak 1/2 lb. of Spinach leaves in a bath of cold water. Drain and repeat until the water stays clean. Spin dry. Chop roughly.
Place 1 C. brown or black lentils in a colander and check for stones. Rinse well.
Saute the leeks and carrots in 2 T. olive oil in a medium soup pot. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the leeks are completely soft and beginning to brown.
Add the garlic and the lentils. Stir to combine and cook another 2 minutes. Add 1 quart of water or broth, then bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender.
Drain the water.
In a separate pan, heat 1 T. olive oil and the add the lentil/vegetable combo along with the chopped spinach. Saute on high heat until the spinach is wilted and tender but still bright green.
Add the juice of 1/2 lemon plus more salt and pepper to taste.