Do Lentils Count?

       Pam, a frequent commenter to this site, posted two lentil recipes last week and I decided to try one of them for lunch today. But before I could start, I found myself pondering whether lentils were even vegetables at all.
       I did some quick internet research, and discovered the following: that if you look for facts on the internet, even for a few minutes, you can easily find conflicting information, even on a topic as obscure as the vegetable-ness of lentils. 

       Sure, some web sites listed lentils as a vegetable. Others said they are fruit. And others insisted lentils are legumes. Based on what I remember from biology class decades ago, I admit they probably are legumes. So does that count as a vegetable for the purpose of my Resolution of the Month?
       Apparently peas are legumes, and I have always thought of them as vegetables. And what about lima beans? Aren’t they legumes too? I hate lima beans, and recall they (and peas) were always part of the canned Campbell’s "Vegetarian Vegetable" Soup I ate as a kid. I point that out simply to draw attention to the fact that it wasn’t called Campbell’s Vegetarian Legume Soup.
       Despite my uncertainty, I decided to try Pam’s recipe for Little Black Dress Lentils (for recipe, click on "comments" under April 2 posting). One of the good things about this recipe is that it also includes onions, carrots, peppers and corn, which definitely are vegetables – except for corn, which actually is probably a grain, even though corn was in the Campbell’s soup tin too. And, now that I think of it, I suppose that peppers are really a fruit. Hmmmm....
       In any case, I happened to have almost all the ingredients in my cupboards, so I proceeded. I used balsamic vinegar though, instead of sherry vinegar, and canned corn instead of frozen. And, since I was hoping the lentil salad would be my lunch, I also added some feta cheese.
       And I have to give Pam credit. The salad was terrific, and beautiful to look at too -- with the colors of the cheese, vegetables (and grains and fruits) contrasting with the darkness of the lentils. I ate around 1/3 of it, and to my surprise, felt completely satisfied with that as a meal. And certain that the salad would be great tomorrow too (and perhaps even better), I put the rest of it in the refrigerator for another day. 

       Frankly, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since then -- either because it was that good, or because I am, after all, on a diet.
       And I figure that whether the various ingredients were (strictly speaking) vegetables, fruits, legumes or grains, I had had a lunch more healthy than what I ordinarily would have eaten, and a meal I would happily eat again. And that is what is important.

Commenters: Please continue sending in your ideas. They seem to be working!