Middle Eastern Lentils

Lentils are one of my favorite comfort foods, and I've been craving them lately. This is a recipe that I've been making for years. It may sound strange to serve a cold salad over a hot entree, but I think it's delicious!


Middle Eastern Lentils

2 lge onions, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 c brown rice
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups lentils, sorted & rinsed
4 cups water
1 bunch romaine or green/red leaf lettuce
2 med tomatoes, diced
1 med cucumber, peeled & thinly sliced
2 scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 tsp raw honey or agave syrup


In a large pot, sauté the onions in 1 Tbsp olive oil until soft and
golden. Add rice and salt, and continue cooking over medium heat
for three minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in lentils and water.
Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the rice and lentils
are tender, about 50 minutes.

Tear the lettuce, and mix with the tomatoes, cucumber, and scallions.

In a small jar, mix 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, paprika,
mustard, garlic, salt, and sweetener. Shake well.

Toss the salad with the dressing.

To serve, place a spoonful of the
hot lentil mixture on a plate and top with a generous serving of salad.

Mexican Beans and Rice

A hearty meal on a cold day. You control the heat with the salsa used.


Mexican Beans and Rice


2 cups cooked black beans
1 cups corn
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 16-oz jar salsa
3/4 cup crushed tomatoes
4oz green chilies, chopped (opt)
3/4 cup water
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin



Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large
casserole dish; mix well. Bake for one hour, until casserole
thickens.

Soothing Red Lentil Soup

I love red lentils as much as green, and this soup just hits the spot on a cold day.

Soothing Red Lentil Soup

2 - 3 Tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp mild curry powder
2 cups red lentils, rinsed well
8 cups water or GF vegetable stock (or a mixture of both)
4-6 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cups thinly sliced spinach or chard
2 - 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp sea salt

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot; sauté onion for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and curry powder and sauté for a minute or so.

Add red lentils and water or stock. Add carrots; cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Turn off heat; add greens, lemon, and sea salt. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes to let the greens to soften.

Chickpea Soup

I don't think that this soup sounds particularly appealing but it's one of my favorites. Somehow, the ingredients just work together to create something delicious!

Chickpea Soup

1 small onion, chopped
4 ½ cups GF vegetable stock
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 lge tomato, diced
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 potato, diced
¼ cup parsley, fresh, finely minced
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt

In a large pot, cook onion in 1/2 cup stock until it is soft. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until potato and cabbage are tender, about 15 minutes.

Ladle 3 cups of soup into the Vitamix and blend until smooth. Return to pot, stir to mix, and serve.

Split Pea Dal

I don't know how many of us out there love split peas and curry, but for those who do, this recipe is warming and delicious.

It's a grain-free recipe if served plain, without the brown rice.

Split Pea Dal

1 cup split peas
2 cups water or stock
1 cup onion, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic cloves, peeled & minced
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp curry powder
1 Tbsp olive oil

Brown rice, cooked (opt.)

Sort and wash split peas. Place in a pot with water or stock, onion, and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for one hour.

Add salt, and stir until the peas are pureed.

In a small skillet, heat the oil; remove from heat; add curry and stir until it foams. Stir into the split pea puree and mix well. Add more sea salt, if necessary.

Serve over brown rice, if desired.

Carrot Soup

Nick and I both love this soup. The kids, not so much. We don't complain about that. That just means that we get to go back for seconds!

Carrot Soup

2 qts GF vegetable stock

6 med carrots, sliced

2 lge onion, chopped

2 med red potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp curry powder

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp sea salt

In a large soup pot, combine all of the ingredients except the lemon juice and sea salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat.

Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes. Add the lemon juice and sea salt to taste. Puree the soup in the Vitamix until completely smooth.

Enjoy!

Pasta Florentine

Pasta Florentine


1 med onion, chopped

1 med carrot, grated

1/2 cup water or red wine

3 garlic cloves, peeled & minced

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

15 oz chopped tomatoes, with juice

28 oz chunky tomato sauce

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 lb firm organic tofu (opt)

2 Tbsp tamari

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

12 oz gluten-free shells

1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced



In a large pot, cook the onion and carrot in the water or wine until soft, then add
the garlic and mushrooms; continue cooking until mushrooms are brown.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tamari, and dried seasonings and simmer
20-30 minutes.

Drain and mash the tofu, and add to cooked tomato sauce (opt).

Cook pasta shells until done, rinse and drain. Add to tomato sauce.

Stir in spinach; heat through. Stir in fresh parsley.