Why are they called red lentils when they are pink, and become yellow once cooked? Weird. All I know is they make an amazing soup! Unlike other types of lentils, these cook and break down quickly, and end up soft, almost as if they have been pureed. The first few times I made this soup it was on the stove, but recently I used the crock pot and it was even better. There really is something to slow cooking, allowing the flavors to build and grow. Either way, it’s an easy, delicious meal, any time of year. One of our favorites!!
For any followers out there who don’t love pumpkin, I do apologize. I realize this is my 3rd pumpkin recipe…so far. 🙂 I told you – I love pumpkin. And I’m going to utlilze it as much as I can this fall. The picture shows a loaf made with a combo of dried cranberries and chocolate chips. You can use one, both, or neither – it’s yummy either way!
So, if you like pumpkin, bust out the baking supplies and enjoy this tasty Pumpkin Loaf. It’s easy to make and really satisfying.
I realize hummus recipes are a dime a dozen, and store-bought versions are widely available. However, the one thing they all have in common is a lot of fat. The average prepared hummus contains 4 grams of fat for 2 tablespoons. I don’t know about you, but I could eat that much in a few bites! Most varieties contain oil, which as I’ve said before, is not a health-promoting food. It’s concentrated fat and calories (14 g of fat for just a tablespoon), and truly unnecessary in a dish like this. Prepared hummus also contains tahini, or sesame seed paste. My recipe does too, but only 1-2 tablespoons for the whole batch, which is much less than other recipes or store-bought versions. Use 1 if you want a really low-fat version, or 2 for a little more fat. You’ll see I list truffle oil as an optional addition. You don’t need it but it adds wonderful flavor. I like mine on the lemony side so I use 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Also, the amount of water you add is dependent upon how thick/thin you want the hummus. I always have a batch made up and ready to go. Recently, I spread about 2 TBS on a piece of whole grain bread, laid sliced tomatoes and sweet onion on top, drizzled with balsamic, and sprinkled with basil and pepper. I broiled it for 6-7 minutes. DELISH! See photo below.
2/21/13 UPDATE: I’ve always known cooking your own beans, as opposed to using canned, was a nutritionally superior way to go but I didn’t fully grasp how much better a dish would taste!! Oh my. I recently got a pressure cooker (best. thing. ever.), and after soaking my chickpeas during the day (8 hours), I cooked them with water in the PC for 14 minutes. Then I made my hummus. SO creamy and flavorful. I really had no idea there would be such a marked difference. You don’t need a PC to make your own beans, but you do need to plan ahead. The forethought and time is worth it, trust me. If you use your own beans, use about 2 cups cooked for this hummus.
This recipe is from Dreena Burton’s Eat, Drink & Be Vegan, an excellent book, written by a great lady. I omit the oil when I make this dish because I just don’t think it needs it. We’ve been making these for years and it’s become a standard snack in our house. So good!!
I’ve served this dish to cabbage haters who loved it, and to meat eaters who went back for seconds. It’s a dish yet to disappoint, and another crock pot recipe – I love those! While it’s technically fall, it’s still really hot here but that didn’t hold me back from making this last night. I’m craving the feelings and flavors associated with autumn. If you think about it, a crock pot is a great way to cook without heating up the kitchen! Works for me.
Chili. Not the most creative dish, and almost everybody knows how to make it. There are a gazillion recipes out there, and I’ve tried many of them (the ones without meat, of course). For whatever reason, I’ve never been completely satisfied with any of the chili dishes I’ve made, whether I followed a recipe or made it up myself. I always felt like there was something missing, and I couldn’t describe or figure out what that something was. Also, I always made it too spicy, and as I’ve said many times, I’m a spice wimp. All this changed last night. Finally!
The mushrooms and cauliflower may sound like strange additions but trust me, they work. You can’t really taste them but they add a nice texture and I’m sure contribute to the overall flavor. The real secret in the great flavor, I believe, comes from the baked beans and liquid smoke. The fresh corn is a great addition, especially now when corn is in season. Add more chili powder and maybe some cayenne if you like your chili spicy. Try it and let me know what you think.
I’m all about the pumpkin. It’s one of the many things I adore about fall. I love the look of those orange beauties, and the flavor of anything pumpkin. I only wish the pumpkin bread, scones and pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks were healthy! Oh well, these little treats, along with my Pumpkin Pancakes (see Recipes), and Pumpkin Pie Minis (recipe coming soon) will suffice. They do contain chocolate chips, taking the healthy factor down a notch, but it’s a small amount and just enough to make you feel like you’ve been treated.
When I was on Maui last week, we ate at a cool restaurant called Monkey Pod. They had an interesting menu filled with varieties of different foods, all using sustainable, local ingredients. I was super excited when I saw Potato Tacos on the menu. I wasn’t super excited to see, when the server brought them to the table, that they were made with french fries. Yikes! As you can imagine, they were very greasy (don’t worry, I didn’t finish them, and I picked out many of the potato pieces). The wheels immediately began turning in my head as I thought about how best to recreate a healthy version of the dish. Here’s the recipe! It was delicious, even made without french fries. See what you think!
I know it’s not officially Autumn yet, and it’s still miserably hot outside, but I’m longing for fall, dangit!! These pancakes hit the spot, and made me look even more forward to my favorite holiday – Thanksgiving! I’ve seen several recipes for pumpkin pancakes out there but the difference between them and mine is the amount of spices; I tend to be heavy-handed in this recipe. The stronger the flavors of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, etc., the better! I’m tempted to crank up the AC, put on a sweater, and eat these by the fire. Make these! They’re easy and delish! Let me know how you like ’em!
I used to love chicken and tuna salad sandwiches, but I’ve have had to do without since I happily gave up animal foods years ago. Sure, there are plenty of faux-chicken and even tuna products out there but they are not what I’d call healthy since they are highly processed and contain oil. Well, thanks to Lindsey Nixon, The Happy Herbivore, I got the idea for this tasty sandwich filling. Her recipe is for tuna, but I’ve made a few changes to make mine more like a chicken-salad. Both of them use….wait for it…..smashed garbanzo beans!! Weird, right? I thought so too, but seriously people, it’s good! And since the mayo is fat free, it truly is a guilt-free, healthy treat! Try it and let me know what you think!
Why are they called red lentils when they are pink, and become yellow once cooked? Weird. All I know is they make an amazing soup! Unlike other types of lentils, these cook and break down quickly, and end up soft, almost as if they have been pureed. The first few times I made this soup it was on the stove, but recently I used the crock pot and it was even better. There really is something to slow cooking, allowing the flavors to build and grow. Either way, it’s an easy, delicious meal, any time of year. One of our favorites!!