Vitamin Rich Veg

Food trends are funny things. You hear a lot about one ingredient for about a season and then it's on to another. I swear farmers and food co-ops get together and decide which vegetable should be pushed, who knows. Kale is one of those such vegetables. Over the last year it was quite big, it seemed everyone had kale on their menu or was passing new recipes around. It's now seen a bit of a dip in interest, but that doesn't bother me, I never ate it for a trend in the first place. 

As I had mentioned in a previous post here about kale, it's a super-food. It's chocked full of vitamins and minerals and is one of those leafy greens that is good cooked and raw, it's very versatile.

There are different types of kale. Curly kale is the most common. I personally like it best cooked. For salads, I prefer lacinato kale (also known as "dinosaur" kale), which has dark green smoother, less fibrous leaves, making it both easier to chop and to eat. Baby kale is conveniently packages in the produce dept in plastic boxes, it's sweet, easier to convince children and picky husbands to consume.  


Winter Greens Salad 4 servings

Dressing:
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup pecans
4-5 leaves dinosaur kale, stems removed and leaves cut into thin strips
1 Cup of Spinach leaves
1 cup roasted diced butternut squash (see note below)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tart-sweet apple peeled, cored and diced- granny smith or jonagold, even jazz
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
                                *you could easily add diced chicken to make it a full meal

You can grab cubed butternut squash from your local whole foods or trader joe's store already cleaned and cubed which is what I did, but if you'd like to roast your own...

To roast butternut squash, preheat oven to 475 F. 1. Toss 2 cups cubed butternut squash with 1 tbsp. olive oil and a pinch of salt and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, stir squash and roast an additional 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside, you can even refrigerate it. 
Heat a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the pecans and toast until fragrant, tossing occasionally, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool, then coarsely chop.
Combine pecans, kale, spinach, squash, cranberries, apple and blue cheese in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat.

Now if that recipes doesn't sit well with the kids, this next one will. 
This recipe I adapted to be gluten free (see notes) and it comes from one of my favorite sites The Little Epicurean

Brown Butter Spaghetti with Baby Kale and Roasted Squash serves 4

6 oz spaghetti ( I used ancient harvest GF Quinoa)
2 cups butternut squash, cut into cubes
1 or 2 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter ( used vegan butter)
3 cloves of garlic, smashed or minced
2 small onions, sliced, about 2 cups
4 packed cups of baby kale (by lettuces in a plastic box)
1/4 cup Romano cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste
additional Romano or Parmesan, for serving
finely sliced chives, for serving 

You'll roast the butternut squash as listed above, just adding salt and pepper.
Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until squash is soft and can be easily pierced with a fork or knife. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook spaghetti according to package details. When draining pasta, reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Once butter is melted, continue to cook over medium low heat until butter has browned and is fragrant (should smell nutty). If you are using vegan butter, do not brown it, it will still taste nutty without browning it. Add minced garlic (I like to also use jarred garlic sometimes) and sliced onions.  Cook until onions are almost translucent.  Add baby kale in two additions.  Cook until kale begins to wilt. Remove from heat.  Add Romano, Parmesan cheese, and roasted butternut squash. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked spaghetti and toss to coat pasta. Add 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water at a time until pasta is well coated with sauce.  (I ended using 1/2 cup of pasta water).

Sausage Kale Soup serves 4-6 1 tablespoon olive oil (+ 1tsp rendered sausage fat)
1 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt
1 1/2 cups french green lentils, rinsed

1 can garbonzo beans drained and rinsed
28 ounces canned chopped tomatoes 
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
4 chicken sausages (or substitute another kind of sausage like chicken)
1 1/2 cups chopped kale
You can slice your sausage into half moons or you can squeeze the sausage out of the casings, it's up to you. Brown the sausage on the bottom of your stock pot. If you're using chicken sausage, you'll need a little more olive oil. Once the sausage is browned, remove to a paper towel lined plate. Keep about 1tsp of the sausage fat.

Heat fat and the olive oil and add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Add a big pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the lentils, tomatoes and 4 cups water. Add the thyme and rosemary and a couple more pinches of salt. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary to cover the vegetables.
When the lentils are just tender, add can of garbonzos and taste the soup and add more salt if necessary. Add the kale and cook for about 3 minutes, until the kale is tender but still green. Stir in the sausage, make sure everything is heated through, and serve.

*optional top off with a little parm, my little one loves it that way.

Kale, Kale, Kale...So Great, You Wont Need To Sneak Them In!

 Kale...what can we say about it. It's green, it's traditionally decorated salad bars everywhere, but it's much more than that. It's one of the worlds healthiest foods. It is a very good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin E, vitamin B2, iron, magnesium, vitamin B1, omega-3 fatty acids phosphorus, protein, folate, and niacin. Kale can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering benefits if you will cook it by steaming. Kale's risk-lowering benefits for cancer have recently been extended to at least five different types of cancer. 1 cup of Kale is about 36 calories. If you're juicing, toss in a handful after you've steamed it and you'll maximize the health benefits. For people like me who suffer from inflammatory/autoimmune diseases, this vegetable is a life saver. It's high Omega-3 properties help heal the gut and cleanse the blood. Just eating 1 cup a week boosts your immune system and sets you on the right track to receive the full benefits of this awesome food. I have never grown it in the garden. I hear it's really easy and worth it, but to make life easy, I love Glory brand from Trader Joe's. It's only $1.39 a bag. I don't enjoy kale chips, I think they're gross, but what I do like is fresh raw kale, sprinkled with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper and onion powder. I sometimes put raspberry balsamic drizzle on it and it's amazing.

Okay, now the recipes. I previously did a quinoa, butternut squash and portobello recipe you can find under my flavorful paleo post. Check it out!

Kale Stuffed Squash
 You will need a medium sized butternut squash, washed and cut in half, or you could also use acorn squash (4) also cut in half, de-seeded and salted and oiled. Place it in the oven flesh side up at 350° for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside. While the squash is cooking you'll need to start the sausage and kale mixture.



In a large skillet, add

• 8 ounces Italian turkey or pork sausage, casings removed (I used jimmy dean sage sausage)
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, halved and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 cups tightly packed torn kale
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (use veg, but season extra with herbs)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or pine nuts 
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs (gluten free panko is available. Kinnikinnik and Ian's makes a good tasting substitute.) 

Brown sausage and drain excess oil. Saute leek, garlic and kale in skillet until the kale starts to slightly wilt. Add nuts, broth and continue cooking about 5 minutes or until the broth becomes concentrated. Remove from heat to a bowl and add breadcrumbs and cheese. 

Tightly pack into the squash cavity, drizzle with olive oil and bake in a 375° until golden brown and bubbly, usually about 15 minutes. Depending on the moisture in the mixture, you can add water on the sheet pan while backing to keep the squash and sausage mixture moist. You can also stabilize the squash with a tin foil ring.
*If you'd like to use a prepared gluten free bread in place of panko that works great too.





This is one of my favorites soups. I don't make it often enough, but as fall is creeping in, it's a perfect weekend soup to cook while you're in church.

Kale, Sausage and Potato Soup serves 6

1 lb ground sausage (I prefer Jimmy Dean Sage sausage, it's gluten free)
2 C. Coconut Milk (Unsweetened) + 1/2 C Coconut Creamer (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods)
                          you can also use Half and Half
2/3 C. sliced or cubes red potatoes
4 C. Low sodium chicken or veggie stock (check for gluten, it hides everywhere)
1 medium Onion, cubed or minced-I use a Cuisinart blender to make mine small
1/2 tsp. Oregano
Pinch of Salt
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper flakes to taste
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
2 C torn Kale
             *If you're vegetarian, omit sausage and add 2 cups northern white beans and 1/2 cup carrot rounds to fortify the soup and give it body.

In your stock pot, brown the sausage, leaving it in bite sized to large chunks, discard rendered fat.
Add onion to sausage and saute with oregano, salt and red pepper flakes and garlic. Add stock, coconut milk or half and half, potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, add kale and continue cooking for 10 min. Should be slightly boiling. You don't want to break up the potatoes. Before serving, add coconut cream and serve.

If you want to cook everything in a crock pot, cook sausage ahead of time or buy precooked sausage. You'll need to cut the kale in larger pieces, but you can then add all ingredients to pot all at once, excluding the coconut cream until the very end. Place the crock pot of low for 4 hrs.

Paleo Scrambled Eggs with Kale

recipe and photo courtesy of

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 avocado
• Handful of kale about 1 heaping Tbsp
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil
• ¼ cup mushrooms
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook mushrooms and kale in coconut oil on medium heat, add eggs and avocado, being careful not to brown the eggs or avocado.




Kale, Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp mustard seeds
15 coriander seeds (seems funny to count such a small amount, but do it)
1 tsp cumin seed
1 medium onion, chopped small
2 tsp. garlic minced
1 large tomato or 1/2 C canned stewed tomato
1/2 C Chickpeas
1/2 tsp curry powder
3 C. Cauliflower florets
1/2 tsp Red Lentils, rinse 2 times
3 cups stock or water (I use veg stock)
Salt
1 bunch Kale (about 1 1/2 C.) *You could also use Spinach or Chard
1/2 tsp Turmeric



Before you saute the veg, add red lentils, water/stock and salt (1/2 tsp) to a pot and bring to a simmer, turn burner on low and continue cooking with lid on until you have prepared the veggies below.

Place cauliflower florets on a baking sheet sprinkle with 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil, curry powder and roast in oven at 375° about 15 minutes. Cauliflower can be brown around the edges. Remove and set aside.

In a stock pot, add 1 Tbsp coconut oil and toast the mustard, cumin seeds, coriander until they begin to pop and smell fragrant. Add onion and saute until softened. Add garlic and let it become fragrant, but make sure it doesn't burn. If it burns, you'll have to start over. Then add tomatoes, and kale and turmeric.

Add all ingredients together, now including chickpeas and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Serve alongside white rice or couscous. Garnish with fresh diced tomato.

Quinoa Quick Tips

Our ingredients of the week is Quinoa (keen-wah)

Photo courtesy of 123rf.com

quinoa makes the list of amazing super foods. In fact, it's almost at the very tippy top of the scale in goodness. Quinoa is a seed not a grain. For a little while it was also confused with being in the grass family. Quinoa is grown high in the Andes Mountains and has been cultivated at altitudes over 10,000 ft. The Incas used this super food in their every day cooking. Native Americans have also planted it and used it to help gain lean muscle and lower fat intake. This seed packs a highly nutritious punch and contains enormous amounts of essential amino acids, beneficial vitamins and minerals along with fiber, folate, iron and calcium. Consuming quinoa base foods regularly adds the extra benefit of strong bones and teeth. Vegetarians know this food very well and it's used often to help their own diets that are often low in all eight essential amino acids and their ability to maintain an adequate daily source of protein. Those suffering from Celiac disease should also take note. There is no gluten or wheat in quinoa. Quinoa also rates low on the glycemic index, rating in at 18 of 250 which helps to control blood sugar spikes in Diabetics. I recently was reading a magazine while in the pediatricians office about holistic dermatology. My son has severe dry skin in the winter and I was looking for a helpful solution. I read that quinoa reduces skin redness as well as skin allergies, just as oatmeal calms the skin, quinoa has the same benefit, both by ingesting it and using it directly on your skin.


Quinoa cooks very easily, in just about 15 minutes. It will cook up like a charm in your rice cooker. It's nutty and when it's balanced correctly with spices and healthy fats, you'll want to eat it all the time. You'll need 2 cups of liquid to one part quinoa. The key to quinoa is spicing it up to make it flavorful. By itself, it's pretty bland. I've used everything from coconut oil, grape seed, butter and olive oil to give it consistency along with a variety of vegetables, nuts, cheese and spices. If you purchase the puffed variety of quinoa, you can add marshmallow, peanut butter, chocolate and pair it with berries and yogurt and you have an amazing breakfast or treat to munch on. It's so versatile. Please take the time to discover how wonderful this super food is. Search the Internet and books for recipes and experiment with Quinoa!
Curried Quinoa 
2 T. olive oil + 1 small onion diced + 2 cloves garlic minced + 1 c. quinoa + 2 c. chicken stock (sub veggie stock) + 1 T. curry powder + 1 T. ancho chile powder + salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add quinoa and cook until it's slightly toasted. Pour stock over top and bring to a boil. Add curry and ancho chile, cover and simmer until tender. 15-20 minutes. Salt and pepper after you flush with a fork. 
you can substitute ancho chile powder for regular Mexico red chili or Red chili powder. 

Early on when I started using quinoa, I found this recipe on the Food network website. It's been a big hit at big gatherings. It is quick and easy and tastes as good as it looks. 


Quinoa Cowboy Caviar 
1 c. cooked quinoa
1/4 c. fresh corn, cut off the cob (canned and thawed frozen corn will work great)
1/4 c. cooked black beans
1/4 c. red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c. minced red onion
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 avocado, cut in to small cubes
Salt and Pepper to taste
        note: the recipe on the website says you can use guacamole...uh it doesn't work at all.
Cook quinoa according to packaged directions. I used veggie broth to cook mine with a pinch of salt and I added a splash of hot sauce like sriracha (that's the big red bottle at asian restaurants). 
In a medium sized bowl, combine corn, black beans, red pepper, and onion and combine. Add your lime juice, quinoa and mix well. Add avocado cubes and season with salt and pepper. Make sure you fold it gently so you don't mush up the avocado. 

Coconut Quinoa Carrot Muffins 

Recipe and Photo courtesy of my fellow blogger Allie 

We made these for breakfast this morning while I was testing quinoa recipes. They are some of the best muffins I have ever had. Super moist...Enjoy!

Dry Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup oat flour (ground oats)
• 1/2 cup spelt flour (you can use all purpose if you need to)
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (I cooked mine in water with a 1/2tsp. of agave nectar)
• Wet Ingredients:
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup whole milk vanilla yogurt (or any other yogurt)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4-1/2 cup agave nectar 
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 T coconut oil (sub canola if you need to)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions: Preheat oven to 350* Cook quinoa (about 12 min.) Combine dry ingredients, excluding quinoa. Whisk together wet ingredients. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until evenly mixed. Fold in cooked quinoa

Quinoa "meat" Balls

1 cup cooked quinoa (cook in chicken stock if you don't plan on doing the veggie version)

6 dried mushrooms, diced

1/2 bag fresh spinach

1/2 onion, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 egg

8-10 macadamia nuts, roughly chopped (sub with walnuts or pine nuts)

1 tbsp. oregano

1 tbsp. rosemary

salt and pepper (it's good to make a little ball, fry it and see if it's seasoned correctly first, before making up all the balls) 

                           

In a saute pan, coat with olive oil and cook mushrooms, onion and peppers until softened. Set aside and in the same pan cook spinach until slightly wilted. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients until they come together. Form quinoa balls and then fry in 2 tbsp. lite olive oil or canola oil until they are golden. If you have a really great non stick skillet, use that with or without oil, but make sure the balls don't burn. You can also bake them in a 400* oven for 30 minutes. 

here are two sauces that are delicious with these quinoa balls. 

In a small sauce pan add

Simmer  these ingredients until they are syrupy and then pour over your meat balls and garnish with scallion

Marinara sauce out of a jar is really great on these quinoa balls. My little boy uses a toothpick to eat these yummy faux meat balls. We often serve them over top linguine with butter sauce and feta cheese. 

Super Squash

Our ingredient of the week is Butternut Squash. Butternut Squash is in the gourd family which also includes pumpkins, melons, and cucumbers. It's a fruit and contains seeds. Butternut Squash is full of antioxidants and phytonutrients. This squash is low in fat and full of dietary fiber. It has a heart healthy reputation and helps to guard against brain and spinal cord related birth defects like spina bifida. It's folate level is through the roof. 


Butternut Squashes orange color signifies that it's high in carotenoids. Your body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A. We all need more vitamin A and if we do happen to have enough already rushing through our system, the vitamin A turns in to antioxidants that help fight infection, inflammation and promotes growth and healthy cell structure. It has also been said that a diet high in carotenoids and vitamin A help to reduce your risk of certain cancers and age related macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. In just 1 cup serving, you get nearly half the recommended dose of vitamin C. 


How to Buy
An unblemished skin and a heavy weight is best. The squash shouldn't be shiny because that would indicate that it was picked a long time ago. The best time to buy this squash is in the fall, but you can also store the squash in a cool, dry place. After your butternut squash is cut, wrap it, but keep it ventilated and store in your fridge for up to 4 days. 


You can bake it, steam it, roast it, sauté it, smash it, succotash it and spice it up. To cut it, you're going to need a large, sharp knife, a spoon and peeler. Cut the top and end off carefully and slice down the center of the squash. Scoop the goop and then decide which style of cooking you're going to do. If you are going to roast or bake it, lay both halves of the squash on a baking sheet face up, skin down. Score the top of the squash with a sharp knife, season with salt and pepper and place a pat of butter in the center hole. Pour some water in the bottom of the pan to help steam it a bit. Bake at 350 for 45min. If you want to cube the squash, use your peeler to remove the skin and slice and dice. 

How about Soup for Starters

Butternut Squash Soup with Cinnamon Croutons

2 medium butternut squash, halved, seeded + 1 medium onion, diced + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil + 1 quart chicken stock + 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 tablespoons fresh minced thyme leaves + sea salt and freshly ground black pepper + 1 pint heavy cream

Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub the squash halves with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Roast squash in the oven until fork tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Add the other tablespoon olive oil and onions to a medium saucepan over medium heat and sauté until translucent. Discard the skin from the squash and add the squash to the saucepan. Add the stock and the cream to the squash and simmer for 10 minutes.

Adjust seasonings to taste. Use an immersion blender to purée. Thin with a bit of extra stock if necessary.
Cinnamon Croutons 

4 slices of bread
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. butter or margarine
Cube your bread, toss in cinnamon and butter and bake at 350 until golden. 


I found this amazing recipe from cookinglight.com recipe and photo courtesy of Karen McNeil and Cookinglight.com

I like to test all the recipes I post here on this blog and this recipe didn't disappoint  We had some friends over and this recipe was a hit. It was delicious. It's great for larger groups and for children that are somewhat unsure with what you're trying to feed them. It is a very healthful recipe and has very little fat and calories. I tweaked it...I didn't use Pancetta because I don't like the flavor. I replaced it with Applewood Smoked Bacon.


View Recipe:
 Risotto with Butternut Squash, (Apple-wood Bacon) and Jack Cheese
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups) 
• Cooking spray 
• 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Madeira wine or sweet Marsala or Stock
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
• 4 ounces chopped bacon
• 1 cup finely chopped onion 
• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
• 2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) 1/2-inch-cubed Monterey Jack cheese 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• Fresh tarragon sprigs (optional)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 475°.
• Place squash on a nonstick jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 475° for 20 minutes or until tender, turning after 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
• Combine broth, water, wine, and tarragon in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Keep warm over low heat.
• Cook bacon in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; drain on a paper towel. Discard pan drippings. Add onion and oil to pan; sauté 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add rice to pan; sauté
• If you don't want to use wine, use extra stock. 

Nutty, Squash Dip

1 butternut squash, halved and seeded
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 sprigs of fresh thyme, divided
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup whole milk or half and half

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub each half of the squash, inside and out, with a teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place upside-down on a foil-lined baking sheet, with one sprig of thyme tucked into the cavity of each half. Roast for about 45 minutes, until a fork poked into the non-hollow end of the squash slides in easily. Remove and let cool just slightly.

Scoop out the flesh of the squash halves and add to the bowl of a food processor (you can also mash by hand with a potato masher or fork, it will just be a bit chunkier). Add 3/4 cup of the cheese, the leaves from the remaining thyme sprig, nutmeg, and salt. Pulse until blended, then pour in the milk or half and half while the machine is running.

Transfer mixture to a small gratin dish (about 8 inches long) or a shallow pie plate. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and return to the oven for about 20 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn on the broiler so that the top of the dip gets brown. Serve with crackers, toast, or pita chips.

Let's Talk Lentils

Lentils, the powerhouse legume. In this country we don't seem to use them much. Over the years, I've picked up using them here and there, but it's usually in soups and I use them virtually the same way each time I take them out of my pantry. I keep lentils, red, green, and brown. They are a bit of a wallflower. In other countries, they are a staple and used everyday. They are a "super food" in the Indian culture. They are an amazing source of protein, fiber, folate, iron and filled with vitamins. They are economical and they take on whatever flavor or spice you cook them with. They are certainly a budget stretching ingredient. Just one pound of lentils cooks up to serve 5 people.

Lentils should be in every pantry or long term food storage. The key is knowing what to do with them. First we need to know really what they are and maybe that will help us recognize their versatility and what kind of cooking method will work best.

Lentils are cousins to beans, they are a legume. Because they have so many nutrients, they can replace your source of protein. Lentils come in array of colors, yellow, pink, red, orange, brown, green and black. The green and black varieties are the best at keeping their shape during the cooking process. Lentils have been proven to reduce high blood pressure, cholesterol and reducing the risk of diabetes. They only have a trace amount of fat.

Here are a couple helpful tips to remember when cooking lentils.

• Rinse and sort your lentils just like you would beans. 
• Don't add acid to them before they are cooked. No tomatoes, vinegar or lemon, because your lentils will never become tender. After the lentil have a chance to cook, add whatever acid you want. 
• If you add fresh ginger to your lentils while cooking it will break down the complex sugars that cause digestive discomfort.

If you get really in to using lentils, find yourself an Indian market to buy them in. They have the best variety and they have a higher turn around so you know the lentils will always be top notch.

Coconut Lentil Soup with Lentil Apple Salad

You will need:

2 cups red or yellow lentils (red are the variety that is easiest to find) Go to Sunflower Market

Place lentils in a large saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above lentils, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well and set aside.

Soup: 2 garlic cloves minced + 1 inch peeled ginger chopped + 1/2  green apple cut into 4 + 1/2 red onion, chopped + 1 cup coconut milk + 2 cups water + 1 tsp. *garam masala paste (if you want it with a kick) if you want it mild, use garam masala spice.

Garam Masala is typically gluten free, but be sure to check your label. It's easy to make and store in containers. Make the spice blend in a small batch and use it within 3 or so months. 
                   

2 tbsp black peppercorns

2 tbsp cardamom seeds

2 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tbsp cumin seeds

7.5cm stick cinnamon, broken up

1 tsp whole cloves

1 tsp grated nutmeg

To make soup, combine half of the cooked lentils, coconut milk, water, apple, onion, garlic, and ginger and garam masala in a saucepan. Simmer for 20 minutes, then puree till smooth in blender. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

*Below are the directions for the greens that sit on top of the soup. I served it on the side instead of on top of the soup. I preferred it that way, but you might want to try it both ways.

Salad: 3 T. fresh lime juice + 2 1/2 T. olive oil/grapeseed oil + 2 tsp. parsley + 5 basil leaves chiffonade + 1/4 tsp. salt + 1/8 tsp. coarsely ground pepper + 1/2 diced red onion + 1/2 diced green apple
To make salad, combine lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, chiffonade basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add remaining lentils, apple and red onion to lemon juice mixture; toss gently to coat.

1 Hour Cook Time + 15min Prep     Makes 4 servings
Recipe adapted from  Marcus Samuelsson via Kitchen Daily

 Vegan Lentils with Brown Rice & Kale

2 C. Brown Rice
2 T. Olive Oil
1/2 C. Green Lentils
3 C. Water
2 C. Vegetable Broth
1 Large Onion
1/4 C. Kale
2-3 Garlic Cloves Crushed
Dash each of Cayenne Pepper, Salt and Pepper to taste + 1 Bay Leaf
1/4 C. toasted pecans or Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)  (optional)


In a saucepan add olive oil and minced onions and cook until onions are clear. Add brown rice and garlic and saute for 3 minutes on medium low. Make sure the garlic and brown rice don't burn. Add water, broth, kale, green lentils and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Flush your rice with a fork, remove bay leaf, top with nuts or seeds and serve.




Lentil Cake with Dip
1 cup dried lentils
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 rib celery, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
2 cups cooked rice
Salt, to taste
1 cup ground bread crumbs, flour or gluten free breadcrumbs (c4 makes a great breadcrumb, you can find them at walmart)

Place the lentils in a large pot and submerge, adding an additional 2 inches of water. Boil for 20 minutes, or until tender.
Sauté the onion, pepper, and celery in the olive oil until the onions are slightly browned.
In a medium bowl, combine the lentils, vegetable sauté, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, parsley, rice, and salt, then mash slightly. Form into small patties.
Roll in the ground bread crumbs or flour, and refrigerate while preparing the sauce.
When the sauce is done, pan-fry each patty until nice and brown.

For the Horseradish Sauce:
1/4 cup Mayo or yogurt, you can also use the cream on the top of a coconut milk can
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. ground red pepper 
Salt and pepper, to taste

     - If you don't prefer horshradish, try mango chutney.
In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until blended.
Serve with the lentil cakes.

Remember:
You can add Lentils to just about anything.
Think about adding lentils to: Meatloaf, Hamburger, Sausage, serve it along side  Salmon, Ham and Roast Beef.

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