Sloppy Lentils

4 cups water (the original recipe uses 3 cups, so notice the change for crockpot preparation!)
2 cup brown lentils, rinsed
salt to taste (optional)
1.5 cup chopped onion
24 oz can diced tomatoes (drained), tomato sauce or 4 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste, optional (as needed to thicken – especially if using tomato sauce)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
2 teaspoon mustard powder
2 tablespoon chili powder
6 tablespoons rapadura, molasses, or honey (recipe calculated with molasses)
2 Tbsp white vinegar
salt and ground black pepper to taste

[8 hamburger buns, split
cheddar cheese, grated (to top your lentils when serving) not included in calculations, but natural additions for the complete sandwiches]

Since this recipe is a double recipe, I usually need to cook it for at least 6-8 hours to get the lentils to soften and cook properly. When I made it as a single recipe (half of all ingredients except tomato paste, which would still be one 6 oz can, and 1 cup onion) the lentils softened without any issues. I still need to play with it a bit more to determine the best time frame needed. Still delicious though, whether or not the lentils cook 100%.

Combine all your ingredients in the crockpot (besides the buns and cheese!). Turn on low and cook for approximately 6-8 hours, until lentils are tender and the mixture has thickened and absorbed most of the liquids. Serve on open faced hamburger buns and top with melted cheese, as desired.

Serving Size: Makes 8 1-1.5 cup servings