Chick Pea & Quinoa Soup

It's that time of year again when soup is- and should be- a mainstay in everyone's diet. It's quick and easy to make, warming and filling, and just plain yummy. Soups in general are one of those things that I don't understand why people buy the canned stuff. I mean, it's probably one of the easiest things to make and is definitely one of the most flexible "recipes" to play with... you can make as much or as little as you like, and it usually holds up well as leftovers.

Chick Pea & Quinoa Soup

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 sm. onion, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
2 med. carrots, diced
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. tomato paste (feel free to use any other form of tomatoes; I've made this soup with diced tomatoes which turned out quite well)
1/2 cup quinoa
1/4 cup red lentils *optional
1 (14-ounce) can chick peas, drained & rinsed
2" piece of Parmesan rind
2 cups veggie broth (feel free to use chicken broth if you're so inclined, also feel free to use more liquid- I like a thicker finished soup)
1 cup butternut squash, diced
1 sm. bunch of kale, shredded

Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onion/celery/carrots in olive oil until slightly soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add in all of the spices and tomato paste, stirring to coat, and continue to cook for another minute before adding the quinoa, red lentils (if using), chick peas, Parmesan, and broth. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes before adding in the butternut squash and kale. (Note: I like to wait to add these so they retain some shape and color in the finished soup, but by all means, add them with all the other vegs if you'd prefer.) Continue to simmer until the quinoa has bloomed, and the kale has wilted down, another 10 minutes or so. Fish out the bay leaf and Parmesan rind before serving.

Enjoy!

Lentil & Sausage "Stew"

"stalking" his prey...

Yes, I realize that the last recipe I posted was another lentil favorite... but this time of year, the produce available just screams to paired with lentils of any variety. ;)  Besides, if you don't like it, you can just go read something else... lentil hater. *shakes head sadly*

I suppose this would work well as a soup if you added much more liquid than I used, but I really like the texture of this dish as is; just enough liquid that you need to use a spoon instead of a fork. Maybe "stew" isn't quite the right word, but I'm going to stick with it unless someone has a better suggestion.

Even Micha was desperate to get his face into my bowl, so I must have done something right with this particular lentil recipe... because everybody knows that a cat has an incredibly discerning palate, um, right?

Lentil & Sausage "Stew"

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 rib of celery, diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced (canned with the juice would be good too)
2 links hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed, crumbled
1/2 cup of lentils (I used just plain ol' brown lentils)
2 cups of liquid (I used chicken stock 'cause I already had an open carton)
1 cup butternut squash, diced (pulled straight from the freezer this time)
2 cups of kale, torn (I usually have this in the freezer, too, but used fresh today)
splash of acid of choice (lemon juice, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar) *optional
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

... going in for the kill...

In a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, saute the vegs (except kale & squash) in olive oil until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the turkey sausage and cook for another 4-6 minutes or until the sausage is mostly browned and the vegs have softened further. Stir in the lentils and liquid of choice, cover, and reduce heat to a low. Simmer on low until most of the liquid has absorbed, about 20-25 minutes, before adding the butternut squash, kale, salt & pepper. Cover slightly, and simmer for another 8-10 minutes. By this time, nearly all of the liquid should be absorbed. Add a splash of something to brighten the flavor- I used a shot of red wine vinegar- remove from the heat, and allow to stand, covered for at least 10 minutes before diving in... licking the bowl clean is definitely recommended, but optional I guess.

Enjoy!

*Cook's Note: These lentils were even better the next day! The remaining liquid had all but completely absorbed, making the lentils super creamy in texture. Yum!

Veg(etari)an Red Lentil & Tomato Soup with Kale

A far cry from my mother's bland lentil soup, this red lentil soup has become one of my favorites to make. I keep the spices fairly subtle, but feel free to boost the amounts as you like. Also, I've tried adding spinach instead of kale, but it just doesn't hold up quite as well.

Veg(etari)an Red Lentil & Tomato Soup with Kale

Ingredients:

chick peas are pretty good with this soup

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 cup butternut squash, diced *optional (I always have this in the freezer so it's easy to throw in and I like the color and sweetness it adds to the soup)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. curry powder
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup of red lentils
1 (15-ounce) can of tomatoes with the juice (dealers choice on whole vs diced- soup gets puréed so it doesn't really matter)
4-6 cups veggie stock (chicken stock is good too, if you don't care about it being vegan/vegetarian) *the amount of liquid you use depends on how thick you want the soup to be- use more for a looser consistency, less for a thicker one
salt to taste
1 big bunch of kale, torn

Directions:
In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, sautée the vegs and spices in olive oil until fragrant and slightly softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the lentils and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add in the tomatoes with their juice as well as the stock (I usually go with 4 - 4 1/2  cups for a thicker soup- it's easy to add more liquid if it's too thick), raise the temperature to bring to a boil, then drop the heat once more to a simmer and cook, slightly covered, for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils and vegs are tender. Remove from the heat and fish out the bay leaf.

Purée the soup using an immersion blender (one of my all time favorite kitchen tools!) or, if you're not lucky enough to have one of these nifty gadgets, use a blender or food processor and carefully purée it in batches. (Just remember that hot liquids can explode out of your blender if you put too much in and don't allow the steam to escape... um, not that I would know that first hand or anything...)

Once the soup is puréed to your desired consistency (you can always add in some more liquid at this point if it's too thick), add in salt to taste as well as the kale. Return to a low heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or so, just until the kale has wilted and softened, but remains green. This soup is fantastic as is, but feel free to add in some chick peas for another hit of protein, and maybe garnish with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. It freezes beautifully if you actually have leftovers.

Enjoy!

Ethiopian Inspired Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew

Okay, so I admit that I'm not all that familiar with Ethiopian cuisine, but after coming across this recipe on Food.com I'll be doing some research because I fell in love with this stew from the first bite! Incredibly easy to make, I only made a few adjustments to the original recipe and was able to make this dish with ingredients I already had in my pantry.

Ethiopian Inspired Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 Tbs. garlic powder (yes, the original recipe calls for fresh garlic but I don't keep that in my house)
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced (I just grated mine)
2 sweet potatoes, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbs. paprika (sweet or hot, whichever you prefer)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. ground ginger (yes, you really want to add both fresh AND ground)
pinch of nutmeg
1 (6-ounce) can of tomato paste
1/4 cup of lentils
2 cups veggie stock (water is fine)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large soup pot over medium heat, saute the onions and sweet potatoes with garlic powder and fresh ginger until the onions are slightly softened, about 4-6 minutes. Add in the red bell pepper and all spices (EXCEPT salt), stirring to coat the vegs in the spices, and cook for another minute or so until the spices get really fragrant. Stir in the lentils, tomato paste, and veg stock, raising the heat to high to bring the stew to a boil before dropping the heat to low. Simmer the stew over low heat until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 25-35 minutes. (Note: You may need to add more liquid if the stew looks like it's getting dry. I actually added about a cup of water to keep things nice and moist.) Once the lentils are soft, go ahead and add salt to taste.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Meat(less)loaf

Vegetarian Meat(less)loaf
based on recipe from Food.com, Really Good Vegetarian Meatloaf (Really!)

Ingredients:
2 cups veggie stock (I suppose you could use water, but why not take the opportunity to add more flavor?)
1 cup lentils
1 shallot, minced
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup grated parmesan (fresh is best, but the stuff from the green can would work in a pinch)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (white cheddar or jack)
1 tsp. ground flaxseeds
2 Tbs. sun dried tomatoes, diced
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup marinara (plain tomato sauce would work, but I had an open jar of marinara in the fridge)
1 tsp. garlic powder (yes, the powder- not fresh)
1/2 tsp. onion powder (or dried onion)
1 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
salt & pepper, to taste
pinch of cayenne

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Bring the veggie stock and lentils to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils have absorbed the liquid, about 25-30 minutes. (The original recipe says to add salt to water while cooking the lentils, but I've already learned NOT to do that to avoid tough lentils.) Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients before adding in the cooled lentils, lightly mashing them as you fold them into the oat mixture. Pour the lentil mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and slightly cracked. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning the loaf out onto a board to cool completely. Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans for that all-American comfort food classic.

Enjoy!

Lentils Primavera

Okay, so here's another non-recipe recipe. I've already posted my preferred method for cooking lentils here, so I'm not going to do it again. I've mentioned before how versatile lentils are, and this is just another of the many ways I like to use them.

Lentils Primavera

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry lentils
2 cups liquid of choice (water, veggie stock, chicken stock)

olive oil
onion, diced
carrots, diced
zucchini, diced
squash, diced
snap peas, diced
tomatoes, fresh or canned, diced
preferred combination of spices/herbs: basil, herbes de provence, garlic powder, lemon pepper
splash of red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
While the lentils are cooking, saute the veg and spices in olive oil until tender crisp, about 7-9 minutes. Once the lentils have absorbed most of the cooking liquid (about 30-40 minutes), add them to the sauteed vegs and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning to your taste and there you go.

Enjoy!

Veggie Lentil Soup

Veggie Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 rib of celery, diced
4 ounces of spinach (fresh or frozen)
1 cup par-cooked lentils
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried dill
salt & pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups V-8 juice (plain tomato juice or even tomato sauce would work)

Directions:
Saute the vegs in the olive oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until slightly softened before adding in all spices and continuing to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Pour in the veg stock and V-8 juice, reduce heat to low, add the *par-cooked lentils and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Enjoy!

*For the par-cooked lentils, in a separate pot, boil 1/4 cup of lentils with 1 cup of water for 15 minutes then reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes. The lentils won't be completely cooked at this point, but they should be not quite al dente. Better yet, if you make a pot of lentils and have leftover, just toss those into the soup at the last minute.

Garden Lentils

Over the last couple of years, I've learned just how versatile the humble lentil is... it's not just for soup, you know. ;)

I think I've mentioned before how I grew up in a kind of "meat and potatoes for dinner" household, so I wasn't exactly exposed to a lot of different flavors. I had a stay-at-home mother who made dinner for the family each night, but what she cooked was geared towards my father's taste (thus the meat & potatoes) with a few of her (New England influenced) family favorites thrown in. So what does this have to do with lentils? Well, the only time I ever saw them was when they made an appearance in soup as a filler (much like barley was treated... but that's a post for another day), or in the bland, goopy lentil soup that only my mother seemed to like. I never had them as the main focus of a dish until I started experimenting with more and more vegetarian dishes in the last 2 years or so.

And can I just say... why the hell did it take me so long?! Lentils are one of my favorite go-to meals now, not only because they're so quick and easy to prepare, but also because the flavor possibilities are practically limitless. So, whether as a main or side dish, I've jumped on the lentil bandwagon!

Garden Lentils

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lentils
2 cups water
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 carrot, diced or shredded
1 rib of celery, diced
6 oz spinach (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (or fresh... but you know my feelings on this stuff by now)
salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. fresh basil leaves, torn
1 Tbs. fresh mint leaves, torn

Directions:
In a medium pot, bring the lentils and water to a boil. (Do NOT add any salt to the water because the lentils don't soften if you do... trust me, I learned this the hard way in the beginning.) Boil the lentils for 10 minutes then drop the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium-low heat, cook the shallot, carrot, and celery until slightly softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the spices (EXCEPT the fresh basil and mint), tomatoes, and spinach and continue to cook until the spinach has wilted.

Once the lentils are cooked, stir in the red wine vinegar before adding the lentils to the spinach mixture. (Why not just add the vinegar to the spinach directly? I find that the spinach turns brown, and although it's still mighty tasty, it's not very appealing in color.) Remove from the heat and finish with the fresh herbs. (Again, why not add in the herbs earlier? They too will turn an unappealing shade of brown when cooked, so it's best to garnish the finished dish with them.)

Enjoy!

Chicken, Vegetable, and Lentil Stew

Chicken, Vegetable, and Lentil Stew

Ingredients:
1 quart homemade veggie stock
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 chicken breast  *omit for vegetarian/vegan recipe
3/4 cup dry lentils
carrots, celery, onion, squash, zucchini, green beans (diced)
assorted spices, herbs, salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring the veggie stock, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce up to a boil and drop in the chicken breast (whole) and the lentils to give them a head start while prepping the rest of the ingredients. Do a basic chop and drop, starting with the root vegs and ending with the squashes. Pull the chicken breast out to shred or chop and add back in. Adjust seasoning as desired and simmer until lentils are cooked through.

Enjoy!