Make-ahead Honey Baked Lentils?

[SollysMom]

I'm bringing over dinner for a friend who just had a baby - several of us are making meals that can be frozen and I'm delivering them all early next week.  I was thinking of doing Honey Baked Lentils with rice and diced carrots baked right in, and then salad on the side so it's a complete meal.  Should I bake at home and freeze?  Just refrigerate, since they'll eat it within a few days?  Or, put all the dry ingredients in a covered casserole (including rice and diced carrots, so they'll need to refrigerate because of the carrots) and say "add 2 cups of water and bake".  Thanks in advance for any replies!

[SundayCrepes]

If you're going to freeze it, make a batch now, freeze it, and try before delivering. Otherwise I'd give all dry ingredients in a container, carrots in another container, have her refrigerate carrots, and give her directions for making it.

[SundayCrepes]

BTW, can I get your recipe?

[mommariffic]

YES I want the recipe too! YUM 

[SollysMom]

The link where I originally got the recipe isn't working anymore, but here it is...

Honey Baked Lentils

 

1 cup dry lentils
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. honey (you can substitute maple syrup for strict vegans)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. dried minced onion (You can use fresh onion, but it all floats to the top and gets a soggy consistency.  I use 2 tsp onion powder)
½ tsp. ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed, or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup rice, (optional, for a more casserole-like consistency… I’ve found brown rice doesn’t work well so I stick to white)

Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish.  You can let it soak for a while before baking, if convenient—this makes the lentils and rice softer and may improve digestibility.  Bake, covered, at 350F until tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.  When it’s too hot to use the oven, I’ve also had success making this in the rice cooker.  The only modification is that I add an extra 2/3 cup water for the rice.

When I want to add carrots, I just chop up a bunch and add them in with everything else. 

[SundayCrepes]

Thanks. It's on my menu for the week.