Chickpea Burgers with Two Relishes

Is "relishes" really even a word..? lol :)

I actually made this a couple weeks ago and then my schedule went nuts and I've had no time for blogging!
It's a good thing; I've been going to lots of tai chi classes and I also found a netball club here to play with. Nice to be back on the court even though I am really rusty. That's what I'd be doing right now if my bio bomb students at work hadn't given me this cold... boo :(

These little chickpea numbers were so tasty! I can't wait to make them again. I think next time, I'd like to try them with black beans. Yum!
I served these with lavender-rosemary roasted potatoes in place of fries.



This would be enough for 2 (1 patty each)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup dry chickpeas (use canned it you prefer)
1 egg white
1 tbsp. sour cream
1/8 cup onion, diced
1 small garlic clove, minced
Small amount of lemon juice (about 1/4 lemon worth)
1/8 cup panko
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. Mexican oregano (dried)
1/4 cup freshly-shredded pepper-jack cheese, divided (1/8 per patty)
1/2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Relishes:
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped (divided so you have 1/2 tomato in each of two bowls)
2-3 Kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 avocado, diced
Juice of 1/4 lime (or use some of that lemon from above)
Chopped fresh cilantro (1-2 tbsp.)
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Method:
1. If you use dried beans, you'll need to start by soaking these. I prefer to quick-soak mine. Bring them to a boil in enough water to cover them by 3-4 inches. Once they are boiling, immediately remove them from the heat and let them sit, covered, for 1 hour. Drain, rinse, and cook as usual.

2. I decided to make the relishes first to allow the flavours time to meld together. I made two different ones - an olive-tomato relish as well as an avocado pico relish. Both were fantastic!
To make the avocado pico:
*Mix the tomato (1/2 tomato), lime (or lemon) juice, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Allow this to sit in the fridge for 1 hour.
To make the olive-tomato relish:
*Mix the other 1/2 tomato, olives, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt/pepper to taste in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Make the patties! Put the chickpeas, egg white, sour cream, onion, garlic, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well-combined (it should be chunky). Add the salt, pepper, cilantro, and cumin and pulse until combined. Transfer this mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the panko and cheese.

4. Form portions of the mixture into two 1-inch thick patties. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook for 6-8 minutes per side or until golden. Flip once during cooking.
Serve with the relishes and, if desired, avocado slices (I just can't get enough avocado!)

Reference:
I found this recipe on the Savory Safari blog; the author of that blog was inspired by a recipe for veggie burgers at 101 Cookbooks.

My changes:
*I used pepper-jack in place of cotija cheese. I also grated my cheese as opposed to slicing it and then mixed it in with the bean mixture rather than placing the slices in between two halves of each patty.
*I added the cilantro, cumin, and oregano.
*I used sour cream in place of mayonnaise.
*I added a relish :) The avocado-pico was my idea. I thought it would work well with the flavours in the patties.

Ancient Grains with Veggies Pilaf

This was really tasty but a bit of a pain to make... probably due to the fact that you have to cook each grain separately and I only own two saucepans. LOL.. I used to have a bunch but purged all the old crappy Teflon ones so now I'm down to two non-huge stainless steel ones. Plus, I needed one for DH's dinner.. The time it takes is worth it just for the amazing amount of protein in this dish!
At least I know for next time to make them all in advance!

You could really use any combination of grains and veggies that you have on hand. Rice would also work. In fact, the original version of this recipe called for brown rice; I chose to use quinoa instead in an attempt to cut back on cooking time.

The pilaf is really filling so I'd say this amount would feed 2; 4 as a side-dish.

**Note: Soak the spelt for at least 6 hours prior to cooking.**

Ingredients:
1/8 cup whole spelt grain
1/2 cup water

1/8 cup bulgur
3/4 cup water

1/8 cup quinoa
1/4 cup water

1/6 cup couscous
1/4 cup water

1-2 tbsp. olive oil
1/8 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 stalk celery, diced
1/8 cup carrots, finely diced
1/8 cup sweet potato, finely diced
1/8 cup parsnip, finely diced
1/8 cup mushroom, diced (I used portobello; any mushroom would work)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/8 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 green onion, sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh ginger (as much as you like; I think I used 1/2 tbsp.)

Method:
1. Start with the spelt. Drain the soaked spelt then add it to 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until it is cooked through. Spelt will not get too soft/it remains quite firm.

2. Cook the bulgur by bringing 3/4 cup of water to a boil. Add the bulgur grains and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until cooked through.

3. Cook the quinoa by boiling 1/4 cup water. Add the quinoa grains and then lower the heat and cover. Simmer 10-15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed and the white "germ" is visible.

4. Cook the couscous. Bring 1/4 cup water to a boil. Add in the couscous, cover, and remove from the heat. Let the pan sit for 5 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.

After each grain is cooked, set it aside while the other grains and the veggies cook (you can combine them in one bowl).

5. Heat 1-2 tbsp. olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, carrot, parsnip, mushroom, celery, and sweet potato until tender. Add the grains then add the soy sauce, green onion, ginger, and parsley. Cook and stir until everything is warmed through.

Reference:
This is based on the recipe "Ancient Grain Pilaf" from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook.
My Changes:
I added the parsnip, sweet potato, ginger, and mushroom. I used green onions in place of scallions and used quinoa in place of brown rice.

Tomato Couscous

A yummy (and quite pretty) side dish that goes together in a flash!

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 (14.5 oz) can of tomatoes, diced (you will need the juice)
3/4 cup uncooked couscous (plain)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Good pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. small capers, drained
Vegetable broth or water

Method:
1. Strain the juice from the diced tomatoes until you have about 1 cup of juice. You can squeeze the juice from the tomato pieces if needed. If you don't have enough juice, you can add water or vegetable broth to make it up to 1 cup. Set the tomatoes aside.

2. Combine the juice, olive oil, and oregano in a medium saucepan. Cover and heat to medium high to bring the mixture to a boil. Stir continuously as you add the couscous. Quickly stir in the salt, cayenne, and cloves. Stir to combine and then remove from the heat and cover. Allow the pan to sit for 5 minutes. Fold in the reserved tomatoes and capers. Allow the dish to sit for 2-3 minutes or until the tomatoes are warmed.

Reference:
Tomato Couscous with Capers from Veganomicon.

Vegetarian Gumbo

I've actually never had a *real* gumbo so I don't have anything to compare this to but I think it was really rather fantastic! I'm not even sure I can really call it a gumbo since it doesn't have okra in it... isn't that a key ingredient (or is that just a stereotype?) :)

This is a great "clean out the fridge" or "use up your CSA basket" recipe. It's full of wonderful veggies and is an easy one for you to substitute whatever you have.

I served mine over a bed of quinoa (told you I qualify for that Level 7 Vegan even though I'm not even vegan... lol) but I'm having the leftovers over rice tomorrow for lunch! Yum! :)

I highly recommend letting this sit and simmer for an hour (original recipe said 40 minutes). This will allow the carrots to become tender and will really let the great cumin-paprika-cayenne flavours to really meld together even more! It takes a while, but once you have everything chopped up and in the pan it's not a lot of work.

Serves 4


Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/6 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes, juice included, diced
1 cup green beans (fresh or frozen)
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup parsnip, diced
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tbsp. paprika
1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups vegetable broth (or water)

Method:
1. Stir together the oil and flour in a Dutch oven until smooth. Cook over high heat until the roux becomes a dark caramel colour (think a nice chocolate brown), stirring constantly.

2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and cook 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Stir in all the remaining ingredients and the veggie broth (or water). Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until the carrots are tender.

Reference:
Based on the Vegetarian Gumbo recipe from the May 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine. The only changes I made were to use broccoli and zucchini in place of the okra. I also used vegetable broth in place of the water.

Black Bean-Quinoa Pilaf

This was so basic and easy (not to mention fast!) but so tasty!

The original recipe that I worked from actually called for chickpeas to go with the quinoa but I decided black beans would be great. Besides, I had half a can of black beans that needed to be used. ;) I also added a little cilantro which was fantastic.

Here's another funny quote from Veganomicon:
"Don't forget that cooking with quinoa at least once a week will elevate you to Level 7 Vegan in no time!" Heh... I'm not even vegan but I think I qualify for that. ;) In my opinion, quinoa is quite possibly the world's most perfect food. Well, after avocado, of course!

This could be used as a side dish alongside just about whatever (and not just vegetarian stuff). I just had mine with a side of broccoli, sweet corn, and some chopped bell peppers that I just steamed together.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tbsp. ground coriander seeds
Several pinches freshly ground black pepper
A little sea salt
1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 cup (1/2 of a 15-ounce can) of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
2-4 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Method:
1. Saute the onion in olive oil over medium heat in a small stockpot until softened. Add the garlic and saute about 2 more minutes.

2. Add the tomato paste, coriander, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Saute about 1 more minute.

3. Add the quinoa and saute for 2 minutes.

4. Add the beans and broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to very low. Add the cilantro, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. Stir occasionally during this phase.

Reference:
Based on the Chickpea-Quinoa Pilaf recipe from the book Veganomicon.

Rhubarb-Lentil Soup

I grew up loving rhubarb - we actually used to grow it. :) I still look forward to spring when I know I'll be able to find it!
All this time eating it, though, and I've never tried it in a savoury dish. Wow, what have I been missing?! It was great in this soup but I think next time, I'd add a little more rhubarb - I think it got a little lost in everything else going on!

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup dried lentils
Cooking spray or olive oil
2 cups finely chopped carrot
1 3/4 cups finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups finely chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced (my addition)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 tsp. fennel seeds (my addition)
2 cups chopped rhubarb (I'd use more like 3, 3 1/2 next time)
4 cups fat-free vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Method:
1. Let the lentils soak in the boiling water for 10 minutes or so.

2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the cooking spray or extra-virgin olive oil. Add carrot, celery, onion, parsley, and garlic. Saute for about 4 minutes. Add the rhubarb and saute about 3 more minutes.

3. Drain the lentils and add them to the pan. Stir in the broth, fennel, and salt; bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

4. Remove the soup from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Place 3 cups of the mixture in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the pan and stir in the pepper and dill.

Reference:
From the May 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine.
I can't just leave Cooking Light recipes as they are (too bland) so here are my changes:
*Added garlic
*Added fennel
*Used vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth
*Skipped the creme fraiche (to make this version vegan/couldn't be bothered with creme fraiche even though I would have just used sour cream - lol)
*Threw the dill in with the soup
*I also added a little extra-virgin olive oil in with the cooking spray

Fabulous Peanut-Pineapple Extravagaza!

This is a vegan West African-inspired dish that Nestie branny shared. Oh my gosh, it's super tasty (just isn't all that photogenic so no picture!)
I served mine with couscous but you could use chick peas, rices, millet, quinoa, whatever you have!

African Pineapple Peanut Stew

2 Servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used red onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tbsp. olive oil or other vegetable oil
2 cups spinach, kale, or Swiss chard
1 cup undrained canned crushed pineapple
1/4 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy would work!)
1/2 tbsp. hot sauce
1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped green onions
Additional fresh cilantro to garnish
Optional: you can also sprinkle some chopped peanuts on top if desired

Method:
1. In a covered saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes until softened and slightly browned, stirring frequently.

2. While the onions saute, wash the kale/chard/spinach. Remove and discard the large stems and any blemished leaves. Stack the leaves and slice crosswise into 1-inch thick slices.

3. Add the pineapple and its juice to the onions and bring to a simmer. Stir in the kale/chard/spinach, cover, and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Mix in the peanut butter, hot sauce, and 1/8 cup cilantro. Simmer 5 more minutes.

Reference:
branny on the Nest posted this. I'm afraid I forgot where she said she got the recipe from. :) I will have to ask and update this!

Protein Pilaf

If you read this blog, you'll know I've become a HUGE fan of quinoa in the last couple months! It's the whole package - natural, nutrient-dense, tasty! :)
Quinoa is an amazing source of protein so I've been using it more and more in place of rice or couscous. Here is a great recipe for a quinoa pilaf - I served this last night for dinner along with some roasted veggies (Mixed Vegetables al Forno). I should add that I updated the mixed veggie dish a bit by using 1 whole portobello cap in place of the button mushrooms. I also added in a little fennel (1/2 tsp. dried) and 1 tbsp. fresh basil (at the last minute).
It was a yummy combination!

Quinoa Pine Nut Pilaf


Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 large onion, chopped (superfood!)
2 garlic cloves, minced (superfood!)
1/2 tbsp. olive oil (superfood!)
1/2 cup bell peppers, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 cup quinoa (superfood!)
5/6 cup of water (or 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. toasted pine nuts (to toast - spread in a single layer on an un-oiled baking sheet and bake for 3-5 minutes at 350 degrees).

Method:
1. In a heavy saucepan, saute the onions and garlic in the oil for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the bell peppers, cumin, and coriander and continue to saute for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. While the veggies cook, rinse the quinoa under cold water for a couple minutes. Add the rinsed quinoa and water to the saucepan, cover tightly, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Stir in the basil and corn and cook 5-10 minutes longer or until the quinoa is tender.

3. Stir the pilaf to fluff it, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with toasted pine nuts.

Reference:
From the Moosewood Collective's Low-Fat Favourites Cookbook.

Peruvian Baked Quinoa and Cheese

It's like a great familiar outfit with a fabulous new pair of shoes. :) Mmmm... this was a nice change from regular mac and cheese and it's gluten-free for those who are on GF diets. And if that's not enough to win your heart, check out all the superfoods!

I just read a little blurb in Vegetarian Times that gave me another reason to love quinoa! It has 8 essential amino acids and is a complete protein all by itself! I did also just read that vegetarians really don't have to worry about "complete proteins" but whatever.. This same blurb also stated that quinoa is high in antioxidant activity. Yeay for super foods! :)

I changed a few things from the original recipe so I'll mark those in purple.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil (superfood!)
1/2 cup sliced green onions (original recipe called for 1/2 a medium leek, white and green parts, halved and sliced)
1/8 cup red onion (superfood!)
1/2 cup bell pepper, diced (I used a mix of red, green, and yellow peppers)
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained (I think of quinoa as a superfood!)
1 garlic clove, minced (superfood!)
1 1/2 cups water
1 large egg (some, myself included, would say eggs are a superfood!)
1/2 cup nonfat milk
3/4 cup grated cheese (I used sharp 1/2 C Cheddar, 1/8 C Parmesan, and 1/8 C mozzarella; original only called for Cheddar)
1 tomato, seeded and chopped (superfood!)

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the green onion, red onion, and bell peppers. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the quinoa and garlic. Cook, uncovered 3-4 minutes or until the quinoa grains turn opaque (pretty sure mine took a bit longer than that but I wasn't paying attention - trying to get DH's food done at the same time!)

2. Add 1 1/2 cups water, season with salt if desired. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 3-4 minutes more or until most of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray (the one I used is about 9-inch x 6.5-inch - it's a ceramic Le Creuset thing/not marked!)
Whisk the egg and milk together in a large bowl. Fold in the quinoa mixture, tomatoes, and cheese. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and bake 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges and on top.

Reference: From the April 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine.

Stuffed Tomatoes with Quinoa, Black Beans, and Corn

I love stuffed tomatoes so I'm always excited to find a new way to fix them. This is quite possibly the best one I've found so far! They incorporate a lot of my favourite flavours. Plus, they are fairly low-fat (well, 11 grams per serving according to the original recipe but it's mostly mono- and poly-unsaturated), cholesterol-free (yippee!), and pack quite the protein punch. Plus, they are full of superfoods!

This recipe would probably make enough for 2 or 3 tomatoes - I only made one tomato but the stuffing was so yummy that I ate it as a "side dish." :)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed well (superfood!)
1/2 cup water
2-3 tomatoes (superfood!)
1/3 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed (superfood!)
1/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/4 cup fresh salsa (tomatoes and hot peppers are superfoods!)
1/2 tbsp. olive oil (superfood!)
1 tbsp. finely chopped red onion (superfood!)
1/4 tsp. sea salt or other coarse salt
Freshly squeezed lime juice

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the quinoa in 1/2 cup water according to package directions (I usually give mine 15 minutes. You'll know when it's done - it goes transparent and you can see the white "germ" [I think it is] of the grain). Drain if necessary and return to the saucepan.

2. Add all the remaining ingredients to the quinoa (except the lime juice); cook and stir for 2 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the lime juice. Fill the tomatoes with the quinoa mixture and place in a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with additional fresh lime juice.

Reference:
Based on the Bell Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa, Black Beans, and Corn recipe from the February/March 2008 issue of Cooking Pleasures magazine.

Five-a-Day For Better Health

Oh my gosh, it's vegan comfort food! This was so tasty - I ate a HUGE plate of it and then had seconds of the veggies ;) Hey, there are worse things to over-indulge in!
Not sure of the gluten-free status of this dish due to the soy sauce - I'm sure you can find GF soy sauce, though if that's a concern! :)
This would also be great served over quinoa or couscous.

The original recipe only called for a couple veggies - tomatoes, onions, and zucchini - but I added a bit more! I'll mark my additions in purple. If you'd like, you can also add your choice of protein to this dish - tofu, chicken, pork, shrimp.. Don't worry about marinating the tofu if you use that - just roast it with the veggies and it will take on the veggie and soy sauce flavours as it cooks. I'd like to try it with some eggplant and yellow squash as well next time! Maybe some mushrooms... This is really just a "toss in whatever you have in the fridge" sort of meal!

2 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown rice
1 1/4 cup water or veggie broth
Reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tomato, quartered (I left the seeds in) - superfood!
1 zucchini, sliced into 1-inch rounds
1/4 onion, quartered (superfood!)
Olive oil (superfood!)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup broccoli florets (superfood!)
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped (superfood!)
1/8 cup petite peas (petit pois) :)

Method:
1. Cook rice in water or broth with 1 tsp. soy sauce adding in according to package directions. *Preheat oven to 350 degrees*

2. In a roasting pan (I actually used my Dutch oven!), combine the chopped veggies and toss with olive oil and about 1/8 cup soy sauce. Roast for 35 minutes.

3. Combine the rice and veggies and season with more soy sauce and pepper if desired (I skipped this/didn't miss it).

Reference:
The original recipe is from Fresh Mama's.

The New (Food) Love of my Life

Oh quinoa, where have you been all my life?! ;) Dang, I had it for the first time last night and LOVE it! Yummy! I made some taboulleh salad thing with it - so tasty! Believe me, you will not miss any additional salad dressing - I thought I might need some oil and vinegar or something but the lemon juice/quinoa/veggie mixture does the trick much better than any dressing (and it's a gazillion times healthier!)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa (superfood!)
1 cup water
2 cups chopped tomatoes (superfood!)
2 cups chopped parsley
1 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup chopped green onions (superfood!)
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (I also grated a bit of lemon rind and tossed that in, too)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper
A little sea salt
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (superfood!)

Method:
1. Boil quinoa in 1 cup water for 15 minutes (same as you would cook rice). Drain.

2. Combine all ingredients and serve over a bed of mixed green lettuce.

Reference:
This came from the Fresh Mama's cookbook that I got from a wonderful parent from work. :)

Vegetable Couscous with Steeped Paprika

I had this as a main dish since I wasn't very hungry (and couscous can be pretty filling!) along with a raita (sort of a cucumber salad). It would also be great used as a side dish for a chicken or fish meal.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2/3 cup vegetable stock
1/3 tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
Good sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup uncooked couscous
1/3 tbsp. olive oil
1/6 cup chopped onion
1 green onion, green and white parts
Small amount of chopped carrot (I think I used 3 baby carrots)
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped, seeded tomato
1 tsp. dried parsley

Method:
1. Bring the broth to a boil in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Remove 1 tbsp. of the broth and dissolve the paprika in it. Pour the paprika-broth mixture back into the saucepan. Add a little salt and pepper and return the broth to a boil.

2. Remove the broth mixture from the heat and add the couscous grains. Stir and cover then allow it to sit off the heat for 5 minutes.

3. Heat the olive oil, onion, and green onion in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute for about 2 minutes or until the onion begins to colour. Add the carrot and bell pepper and saute an additional minute. Add the tomato, saute 1 minute more. Add a little more salt if desired as well as another grind or two of black pepper, then stir. Add the parsley, stir again. Remove the mixture from the heat.

4. Transfer the veggies from the skillet to the couscous pan and fluff as you mix. Serve immediately.

**This can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Return the mixture to at least room temperature prior to serving.**

Reference:
I found this in The Occasional Vegetarian by Karen Lee. I didn't make any changes :) Next time, though, I may try steeping a different spice or blend of spices in the broth and then add that to the couscous.

Indian Lentil Soup

I love Indian flavours and lentils so I was excited to find this soup! It's really tasty! This is a fairy quick meal so it's good for a weeknight dinner when paired with a salad or some brown rice.

Makes 2 servings (excuse the weird amounts - I divided a recipe by 3!)

Ingredients:
1/3-2/3 cup green lentils
1/3 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/12 tsp. turmeric
1/6 tsp. coriander
1/6 tsp. curry powder
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/8 cup carrot, diced
1/12 cup oatmeal
1/3 tsp. tomato paste
2 cups water or vegetable broth
Vegetable oil (I used olive)

Method:
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin, coriander, curry powder, and garlic. Stir for 1 minute until the flavours bloom/become fragrant. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Stir in the tomato paste.

2. Add 2 cups water or broth, carrots, lentils, and oatmeal. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. You can add salt and pepper to taste if desired.

**Note, the original recipe also called for 1/6 cup diced potato. I didn't feel like chopping up a potato for that small of an amount so I left it out! Next time I may add some chopped red potato.**

Reference:
This recipe is from "Fresh Mama's: Whole Cooking for Our Whole Families." That's the cookbook one of my student's parents gave me. :) It's compiled of healthy recipes using whole ingredients.

Anthos Lentil Soup

I found this recipe in Cooking Light and tagged it as a "must-try" :) I love lentils! This has a nice tangy taste from the vinegar and the veggie combination is really yummy (yeay parsnips!) Enjoy :)

I didn't take a picture because it really wasn't very attractive! It did taste really good, though!

Changes I made from the original recipe:
*I made it vegetarian/vegan by switching the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
*I used onion in place of shallots.
*Since I didn't have sherry vinegar (and wasn't about to go hunt some down for 1.5 tbsp...), I used 1 tbsp. of white wine vinegar and 1/2 tbsp. of sherry.

This made enough for about 3 servings (I had two large bowls of it!)
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup baking potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
3/8 cup chopped parsnip
1/6 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp. sherry
3 cups vegetable broth
3/8 cup lentils
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
A little sprinkle of sea salt

Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the potato, celery, parsnip, and onions to the pan; saute for 7 minutes or until tender.

2. Add the sherry and vinegar to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Add the veggie broth, lentils, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 45 minutes or until the veggies and lentils are tender. Discard the bay leaf.

3. *I skipped this bit because it would have been just one more thing to clean.. lol so lazy!* Transfer half the lentil mixture to a blender. Remove the center piece from the blender lid to allow the steam to escape; secure blender lid. Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid. Blend until smooth, scraping the sides of the blender. Return the lentil mixture to the pan; stir in pepper and salt.

Reference:
I found the original recipe in the January/February 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

Middle-Eastern Rice and Lentils

So easy to make and so tasty :) I skipped the onions at the end just because I got distracted and didn't make them in time... ooops!

This makes enough for 4

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup rice
2 cups water or additional veggie stock
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup onion, chopped

Method:
1. Bring the lentils, bay leaf, cumin, tomatoes, pepper, and vegetable stock to a simmer over high heat in a saucepan or Dutch oven. Stir, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer until the lentils are cooked through and have absorbed the liquid, 45 minutes-1 hour. Remove the bay leaf.

2. Cook the rice according to package directions.

3. While the rice is cooking, saute the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Place the rice on a plate; put the lentils on top of the rice and the onion on top of the lentils. Serve hot.

Polenta with Tomato-Braised Beans

The tomato-braised beans part of this recipe was amazing! So tasty :) In fact, they were a really nice replica of the green beans that are served at my favourite Greek restaurant (only not with green beans... lol)
The polenta, on the other hand, really left a lot to be desired! Maybe I made too much? It was just really boring... I think I need to add some Parm to it next time! That might help! :) This topping would also be yummy on pasta.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. dried sage
1/2 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup coarse yellow dry polenta
Margarine or butter


Method:
You will want to start cooking the polenta first since it takes a while!
1. Bring 4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add polenta in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 10 minutes.
Uncover and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 5 minutes; uncover and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add a little amount of butter or margarine to the cooked polenta.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add parsley and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add sage and tomatoes; cook 12 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and beans to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve the polenta topped with the bean mixture.

Reference:
This recipe came from the January 2008 issue of Cooking Light Magazine.
I really didn't change much this time since I'd never made polenta before! I did add a little margarine and will try adding some Parmesan next time around.