Crock Pot Pasta With Lentils and Chard

This is filling and filling, great on a cold evening.

• Ready In: 7 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 12  ounces swiss chard
• 1  cup lentils, rinsed, drained
• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced, pressed your choice
• 1  teaspoon cumin seed, coarsely crushed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1⁄8 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
• 2  cups water
• 12  ounces dry linguine
•  salt
• 6  ounces  neufchatel cheese, room temperature
•  grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Rinse and drain chard well. Trim off coarse stem ends; then cut stems crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips and set aside.
2. Cover chard leaves and refrigerate.
3. In a 3-quart or larger electric cooker, combine chard stems,lentils, onion, garlic, cumin seeds, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
4. Pour in water. Cover and cook at low setting until lentils are tender when mashed with a fork (6 to 7 hours).
5. Cut chard leaves crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips; stir into cooker.
6. Increase heat setting to high; cover and cook until chard is wilted and bright green (about 15 minutes more).
7. Meanwhile, in a 5 to 6-quart pan, cook linguine in 3 quarts boiling water just until tender to bite (10 to 12 minutes); or cook according to package directions. Drain well, pour into a warm wide 4-quart bowl.
8. Season lentil sauce to taste with salt.
9. Add lentil sauce and Neufchatel cheese to linquine, mix lightly to coat well.
10. Offer Parmesan cheese to add taste, if desired.