Last month I shared some interesting Canadian pulse facts as part of my Pulse Love series for International Year of Pulses. This month, May, I’m sharing some facts about the Alberta pulse industry. And it’s perfect timing as it’s spring seeding across the Canadian Prairies which means pulse crops such as lentils, chickpeas and field peas have either just been planted or will be planted very soon.
The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission represents all Alberta pulse growers and their vision is to have Alberta pulses recognized by consumers as environmentally friendly, healthy and nutritional, and by all producers as being an essential element in a sustainable cropping system.
Here are a few Alberta pulse facts:
- There are over 5,000 pulse growers in Alberta.
- Field peas are the most widely grown pulse crop in Alberta.
- Chickpea and lentil production occurs predominantly in southern Alberta where the growing season is the longest.
Source: Alberta Pulse Growers
May is also Love Your Lentils month I’m sharing a lentil recipe I found on the Alberta Pulse Growers website – Hoisin Turkey and Lentil Lettuce Wraps. I’ve had lettuce wraps in restaurants and really enjoyed them so I’ve attempted to recreate them at home using lentils. I adapted the recipe slightly – I’m nothing if not adaptable! I used two chicken breasts (cut into small pieces) instead of the ground turkey because that’s what I had on hand. I also skipped the cilantro as I’m not a huge fan. And I used ground ginger, not fresh ginger.
Ingredients:
- Canola oil for cooking
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 red pepper
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1/4 cup cilantro stems chopped
- 1/4 cup red lentils
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2-3 green onions chopped
- 1 head butter, romaine or leaf lettuce
- peanuts and fresh cilantro for garnish
Directions:
Heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the ground turkey and red pepper and cook, breaking up with a spoon until the meat is no longer pink. Add the garlic, ginger, cilantro and lentils and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add 1/3 cup water and simmer for 10 minutes until the lentils are tender, any excess moisture has evaporated and the meat has started to brown. Add hoisin sauce, soy sauce and green onions. Cook for another minute or two, stirring to coat well and heat through. Wash and prepare your lettuce, separating leaves. Serve turkey-lentil mixture in bowl with lettuce leaves for filling. Enjoy!
Adapted from Alberta Pulse Growers
If you missed the previous posts in this series, check them out here:
Pulse Love: Nutritional benefits
Rural Route Ramblings 