creamy lentil soup

 

Excellent soup!  I love that it's made in the slow cooker and that pureed chick peas are added to the soup along with kale.  Super healthy and super delicous.

creamy lentil soup ( Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2019 cookbook)

cooking spray

4 cups vegetable broth (I used 5)

1 cup uncooked green lentils, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped yellow onion

3/4 cup chopped baby carrots

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

5 thyme sprigs

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15 ounce) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup water (I used 1 cup)

2 tablespoons olive oil (I omitted)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 cups thinkly sliced kale

1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Coat a 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place broth and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in slow cooker; stir well.  Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

Process chickpeas, water, oil and lemon juice in a blender until smooth.  Add chickpea mixture and kale to slow cooker; stir well.  Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.  Stir in vinegar.  Serves 5.

tomato feta pasta

 

My oldest made this pasta dish for us tonight and it was beyond fantastic.  I happen to love everything in this dish, especially the feta and basil so of course I thought it was divine.  It's so easy too!  We browned some bratwurst on the side for those of us who like a little meat too.

tomato feta pasta (my oldest daughter)

1 block feta cheese

olive oil

minced garlic

red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1-2 pints cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup basil, chopped

16 ounces pasta, cooked and hot

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place a block of feta cheese in the middle of a 9x13 casserole dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with minced garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.  Top with cherry tomatoes.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the tomatoes start to bulge and pop.

Take out of the oven and stir to combine.  Mixture should be nice and creamy.  Add hot pasta and stir to combine well.  Enjoy!

green curry lentils

 

We moved a couple weeks ago.  I am in LOVE with being in my new city.  The people are simply wonderful, the weather is gorgeous (at least right now; I anticipate a beastly hot summer) and it just feels right.  The town is super clean and manicured which I really wanted.  My parents are so nice to let us stay with them while we look for a home of our own with a swimming pool.  My mom has been enjoying having someone else do all the cooking.  She's not used to eating so many new flavors and food combinations but I think she's more than ok with them.  My dad is surviving, LOL! :)  These lentils are SO good.  I love the Thai green curry involved in this recipe.

green curry lentils (slightly adapted from minimalist baker)

2 tablespoons oil

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 shallot, sliced (I used two green onions)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

4 tablespoons green curry paste

1 1/4 cups coconut milk (I used light)

1 teapsoon curry powder

1 pinch both salt and pepper

1 cup green lentils, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1-2 tablespoons sweetener of your choice (I used 1 teaspoon sugar)

1 pinch cayenne

2 tablepoons lemon juice

Heat large pot over medium heat.  Add oil, jalapeno, ginger, shallot and garlic.  Saute 3-4 minutes.  Add curry paste and stir to coat.  Saute 2-3 minutes.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Once simmering add lentils, soy sauce and sweetener.  Add cayenne and stir.  Simmer 15-20 minutes or until lentils are tender (took my lentils double the time).  Add lemon juice.

healthy one pot pasta

 

This dish is always a hit with my family and I love that it's a one-pot-wonder!

healthy one pot pasta (erin lives whole)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

12 ounces pasta

1 head broccoli, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups pasta sauce

3 cups vegetable stock

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 bag spinach, stems removed

parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and saute until translucent.  Add garlic.  Add the rest of the ingredients from the pasta to the red pepper flakes and stir until combined.  Cover with a lid and boil.  Once boiling, lower heat to medium low and cook 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid has absorbed.  Turn off the heat and add the spinach.  Stir and cover with the lid.  Let sit 5 minutes.  Top with parmesan cheese.

curry rub for chicken thighs

 

Last night I cooked for my family, my parents and my daughter's boyfriend whom we met for the first time.  We had basmati rice with lime and cilantro, curried lentils and I decided I needed some meat for the non-vegetarians in the house so found this curry rub.  It far exceeded my expectations (it was delicous!) and my parents who are not adventurous eaters in the least really liked it.  Win!

curry rub for chicken thighs (adapted from ruled.me)

10 boneless, skinless chicken thights, trimmed of fat

2 teaspoons yellow curry

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teapsoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Cut chicken into small pieces and place in a zip-loc bag.

Combine all the spices in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.

Open the zip-loc bag and pour the spices inside.  Seal the bag and move the spices and chicken around in the bag so the chicken is coated with the spices.  Marinate for a couple hours if you have time.

Heat a skillet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.  Cook chicken until cooked thoroughly. 

We served ours with rice, curried lentils and salad.  The chicken is great in salad, by the way!

vegan indian curry with cauliflower and lentils

 

I can't remember the last time I purchased a head of cauliflower!  I wasn't even sure if anyone would eat it.  They sure did!  This dish was a winner.

vegan indian curry with cauliflower and lentils (allrecipes.com)

3 tablespoons oil (I used water)

1 oion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ginger

2 teaspoons coriander

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup lentils, rinsed

3/4 cup vegetable stock

1 head cauliflower, small florets

1 can light coconut milk

1 can sliced carrots, or use fresh

1/2 cup frozen green beans, thawed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons cilantro

Heat water in a pan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until soft.  Add ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric and curry and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in lentils and pour in vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in cauliflower, coconut milk and carrots into the lentil mixture.  Bring the curry back to a gentle simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender (I cooked mine for 30+ minutes).  Stir in green beans and cook 3-4 minutes.  Stir in cilantro and lemon juice.

vegan curry lentil soup

 

This soup was excellent.

vegan curry lentil soup (slightly adapted from it doesn't taste like chicken)

1 tablespoon oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

3 cups vegetable broth

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 cup lentils, rinsed

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 (15 ounce) can light coconut milk

1 handful cilantro (oops!  I forgot!!)

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium high heat.  When hot add onion, garlic and ginger.  Saute 5 minutes.  Stir in broth, tomatoes, lentils, curry powder, cumin, salt and cayenne.  Cover and simmer.  Cook for 25 minutes or until lentils are cooked through.  Stir in coconut milk and heat through.