Lentils & Potatoes

Lentils are a staple ingredient around the world. They store well and pack an amazing amount of nutrition. A pound costs less than $3 US; each cup of dried lentils is less than a dollar.

When combined with the humble potato, they provide a complete protein, meaning the dish contains the full spectrum of amino acids needed to build protein in the body. Lentils and potatoes combine to make an excellent nutrition boost especially for athletes, and teenagers, and bodybuilders. 

Packed with protein, they are also a fiber powerhouse. Each cup of cooked lentils has 16g of fiber, low calories, and zero cholesterol. If you’re trying to lose weight or improve your health metrics, lentils can be a superpower in your pantry.

You could live on lentils and potatoes, and the dish is simple enough that it provides a gorgeous base for any seasonal vegetables or meats that you might have on hand. Eaten just as they are, though, they are hearty and delicious, and a testament to simplicity.

The dish cooks up in one pot, and it scales from one serving to enough to feed an army. It’s done in 30 minutes, which is just about as fast as any food gets. Add anything with Vitamin C to help improve the absorption of the iron. My favorite is a squeeze of lemon over the unadorned dish, or you can add some tomatoes and collards to the recipe below.

I particularly like a dish of lentils and potatoes during December, when the daylight is short and the there’s an air of expectation along with the chill. Everyone is busy with holiday concerts and gatherings, and on those nights when you can catch an evening to yourself, it’s nice to make a batch of this and enjoy being this cozy, possibly with a book.

Make a larger batch than you’ll need, as the dish stores well and reheats nicely on the stove or in the microwave, and also can be used as the base of a casserole the next day. Make a half-batch for one serving.

Ingredients

1 c. French or green lentils, rinsed

2 potatoes, any variety, washed and cut into bite sized pieces with the skin on

3-4 cups water or broth (or water with bullion)

Herbs as desired. I like a bit of oregano and black pepper.

Lemon wedge, optional

Directions

Combine everything into a 2-3 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.

Ladle into a bowl, or use a slotted spoon to drain off the broth.

Spritz the lemon wedge over the dish, if desired.

Soup of the Day: Handfasting Soup

This soup makes use of all the many root vegetables you have on hand and need to use up in the new year. Parsnip, turmeric and garlic help boost the immune system and banish colds. Bonus, any that is left can become the base for golden noodle chicken soup, with all the immune benefits intact.

I didn't know that yellow split pea soup is a Thursday night staple in Sweden; this is a tradition I could adopt, especially now that I know that yellow split peas are a superfood.

Dried split peas, like other legumes, are rich in soluble fiber. They also contain an isoflavone called daidzein, which acts like weak estrogen in the body. The consumption of daidzein has been linked to a reduced risk of certain health conditions, including breast and prostate cancer. Split peas are particularly rich in potassium, a mineral that can help lower blood pressure and control fluid retention, and may help limit the growth of potentially damaging plaques in the blood vessels.

Add parsnips, mother nature's multivitamin, and turmeric, a natural anti-inflammatory substance, and it's no wonder the Swedes eat this all the time.

An excellent companion to basic bread, it's simple, easy fare that will have folks coming back for more.

Ingredients
1 cup dried yellow split peas
3 cups water or broth
Potatoes, parsnips, Daikon radish, databases, turnips, and any other root vegetables that need to get used.
Carrots, diced
Onion, diced
1/4c. Olive oil, plus more as needed
3 - 6 cloves garlic, diced
Celery, diced
1-2 tablespoons dried basil
1 - 2 teaspoons white pepper
1+ tablespoon turmeric powder, as much as you dare to

Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring the three cups of water or broth to a boil. Add the split peas and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, or until whisking results in a broken down broth.
Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, cover the root vegetables with just enough water that a few stick out above the water line. Bring the water to a boil, and simmer until the vegetables begin to soften.
In a heavy stock pot, sautee onion, garlic, celery, carrot and spices in oil until onions are transparent. Add more oil if necessary to prevent sticking.

Add softened vegetables to stock pot, including cooking liquid. Add split peas when ready. Stir to mix and let warm through while flavors marry.

Black Rice Tabouli

Draft: waiting for a picture.
Summertime means heat, humidity and being outdoors anyway, hanging out with friends and family. It's a time of sunshine and activity, picnics and parades, cookouts and community. I love this variation on traditional tabouli. It substitutes a lovely black rice for the bulger wheat, making the result much lighter overall,  and gluten-free to boot.
Ingredients
2 - 4 cups black rice.  I like Lotus Foods' Organic Forbidden Rice, cooked in a chicken broth.
Red and yellow tomatoes, diced
1 - 2 lemons
A sprig or three of fresh mint
2 Chopped cucumbers
Recipe
Put all the ingredients in a glass bowl or pan. Squeeze lemon juice onto the mix. Stir gently to combine and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more.

Steamed Beets

It's spring, and that means a whole host of fresh vegetables are coming into our world that have been lacking for overlong. No matter where you live, you can start harvesting beets in early May, and because they are so packed with nutrition, your body will feel ever so glad that you did. These red and gold beauties have trace elements and nutrition in abundance, but very little in the way of calories, so feel free to eat as many as you like. I especially like their earthy goodness paired with some crisp grilled asparagus -- it's a bowl of springtime.

Ingredients
4-6 fresh beets, scrubbed well and diced
One medium-sized yellow onion, diced
Two - Four cloves minced garlic
Fresh ground white pepper
Two lemons

Recipe
Squeeze lemon juice into a large, heavy pot. I like to use my 6 quart stock pot for this recipe, but you can use nearly anything as long as it transmits heat well and has a tight-fitting lid. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Bring juice to a boil and then reduce heat and cover the pot. Simmer until the beets are tender, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed to prevent sticking.

Soup of the Day: Minestrone

I usually associate minestrone with summertime, especially July and August, but today as I contemplated what would be the first offering in Soup of the Day, minestrone was on my mind, in my heart, and I couldn't wait to get to it. As the garlic, basil and onion simmered with a few spices, I knew I had made the right choice. Perhaps we just need a quick vitamin C fix, or maybe we need some of the sunshiny goodness that minestrone always brings with it, but in any event, here it is. Slow simmered, aromatic and enticing, filling the house with savory promise.

Wintertime Ingredients
Four boxes (32 ounces each) organic chicken broth
Two cans (28 ounces each) organic diced tomatoes
Two jars (24 ounces each) organic tomato sauce
Two cans (15 ounces each) canelli or other white bean, rinsed and drained< br /> 1/4 c. diced garlic
1 onion, diced
3 Tablespoons leaf oregano, dried
3 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
olive oil
diced celery
chopped vegetables of your choice (frozen is fine, but I would avoid canned): I'm a big fan of carrots, potatoes, broccoli and green beans, but I firmly believe that minestrone is Italian for leftovers, so pretty much whatever needs cooking is going to get thrown in, and be all the better for it.
Two cups elbow macaroni or other pasta

Directions
Simmer garlic, onion, celery, oregano, salt, pepper and basil in olive oil until onion is transparent. Stir in broth, sauce and tomatoes and bring to a healthy simmer. Let cook for an hour or so, and then bring to a boil again, adding in the pasta and more black pepper and salt as desired. Cook for ten to fifteen minutes more, stirring frequently. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of cold, fresh milk.

This makes a gallon or so of soup, which is especially helpful for hectic nights as well as big crowds -- it stores well in the freezer, is even better the next day, and freezes like a champ.

Black Bean Soup

I can't think of a more fitting soup for November than Black Bean. Earthy, delicate, hearty, with a light note of citrus, it calls to mind the brisk goodness that will be the theme of the whole month, from weather to wool.

Additionally, this is beyond simple, letting us give in to our soul's call to hunker down, be less hectic, and regroup. As if this basic fare weren't easy enough, it cooks in a crock pot, while you are at work or overnight, and is only the better for storing for a day.

Take it easy. Grab some yarn and find some quiet while the soup simmers; listen to your inner voice; let the muse inspire you. Serve up a steaming bowl with the equally simple Once-Risen bread and remember that you are loved.

Ingredients
• 1 pound dried black beans (I like to use organic turtle beans, but honestly, even the most basic store has a bag or box of a perfectly fine variety, usually in the ethnic foods aisle)
• One medium-sized red onion
• One medium-sized yellow onion
• Two - Four cloves minced garlic
• Sea salt or mineral salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• One lemon
• Optional:
  • Madeira Sherry, 1 Tablespoon
  • Ham Hock

Recipe: Rinse and pick over the beans. Bury the ham hocks, garlic and onions in the beans. Do not add salt to uncooked beans, as this will prevent them from cooking fully. Sprinkle with a little black pepper, or hold off until after cooking. Cover with water 2-3 inches above the level of the beans. Simmer on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-12, until beans are tender. Remove ham from hocks and return to the crockpot, chopping if needed. Add seasonings as desired (I like a bit of lemon juice and this is an excellent time for sherry and black pepper). Puree with an immersion blender until desired consistency, or by batches in a traditional blender. Presentation: Slice a lemon and twist the round for a garnish on the bowl. Serve with a good crusty bread for a hearty crowd-pleaser.

October Breakfast: Apple Muffins

The smell of warm apples and spices on a crisp autumnal day is almost enough to make up for having to leave a cozy house. Serve with yogurt and hot tea.

These amazing beauties whip up fast, bake quickly, and use no dairy products, which is wonderful, because you'll want to make a second batch almost before the first one has cooled. For a vegan option, use an egg substitute.

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
Pinch each of ground cardamom and ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup cooking oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
2 cored, peeled, and chopped apples
Recipe
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl, mix spices and vanilla into the sugar.
Combine all the dry ingredients- both flours, sugars, salt, and baking powder into a bowl.
Add the wet ingredients- egg, water and cooking oil.
Fold in the apples with a spatula.
Fill the muffin tins about 3/4 of the way and pop them into the oven from 15-20 minutes.