1 c. uncooked dried lentils
2 1/2 c. water
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic
1 med. onion
4 med. sized raw carrots
6 scallions, chopped with part of green
2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Cook lentils in the water with the bay leaf, garlic, and onion until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool. Save the cooking water and freeze it for later use in soups. Wash carrots well, but do not peel. Cut them into quarters, lengthwise, and steam for about 10 minutes until they are just barely tender. Cool and dice. Do not dice the carrots and then steam them, because they will cook too much and will not be the right texture. They should be tender, but with a hint of crispness, not as hard as raw carrots, nor as soft as cooked carrots. In a large non-metal bowl, mix together the lentils, carrots, scallions and parsley.