I needed something to eat for lunch and the red lentils in the pantry got my attention. I literally threw these ingredients together without a plan, and was SO happy with the result. It’s hard to believe something this easy could be so flavorful. It was so good in fact that I included the dish in an Indian themed feast I cooked this past weekend. It was a big hit along with the Indian Spiced Cabbage, Roasted Aloo (potatoes), brown basmati rice and whole wheat flat bread. 
Red lentils are great because in addition to being extremely healthy and low-fat, they are quick-cooking. They can be used in sauces to add fiber and protein, or as the main ingredient along with a few others such as the recipe here. Unlike brown/green lentils they break down easily, blending in with whatever else is in the dish. They also end up being more yellow in color, even though they are called red and start out more of an orange color. At 140 calories per cup (dry), 0 grams of fat, 7 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein, red lentils are a great addition to the diet.
In this dish I used two different types of curry powder, but you don’t have to. Regular curry is the yellow/orange version you see in most stores. Different brands can taste different from each other, with some more mild than others. Madras curry is another type that is similar to regular but with more spice. Berbere curry is an Ethiopian version, that has a smokier scent/flavor and is much spicier than the others. Feel free to use whatever variety you have on hand, or a combination like I’ve done here. The measurements I used result in a mild dish. As I’ve said before, I’m a spice wimp.
This is a recipe I’ve had on my website for a long time but I revamped it last night and it’s so much better now. I recommend topping with a squeeze of lime, a drizzle of Sour Un-Cream and Cornbread Muffins ((find in Recipes). Make sure to read the NOTES at the bottom of the recipe for important tips.
These muffins are a great way to enjoy the taste and texture of cornbread without all the fat and calories. Very easy to make and delicious with my Veggie Crock Pot Chili or White Bean Chili. See Notes for the gluten-free option.
Banana. I love it anyway I can get it. Straight up banana, banana bread, banana non-dairy ice cream, banana sandwich (with a little peanut butter, of course), or these delicious super healthy donut-muffins I made the other day. Shaped like a donut, with the dense texture of a muffin, these are little cuties really are tasty. Thanks to Chef AJ for the original recipe and Healthy Girl’s Kitchen for tweaking them a bit and posting the recipe here: http://healthygirlskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/03/chef-ajs-just-banana-muffins-possibly.html#more
The only change I made was I added 1/2 tsp nutmeg. These healthy treats have zero added sugar – they are sweetened naturally by the bananas, apple sauce and apple juice. They aren’t super sweet, which is partly why
I like them. While I still have a sweet tooth, thankfully it takes very little to satisfy it since I changed my evil eating ways. It’s confirmation that I really was a sugaraholic before.
I used a combination of my one donut pan (makes 6), and 6 muffins. I cooked them for 22 minutes, but the muffins, which are a little taller than the donuts, could have used another minute or 2 in the oven. The recipe doesnt specify banana size. My bananas were ginormous so I only used 3. So, I’m assuming using 4 average sized bananas would work perfectly.
I was at Costco and I saw this 2 lb container of cut up butternut squash. I had to have it. It’s not impossible certainly, but cutting that stuff yourself is sort of a pain. So, I put it in my cart along with my 8 bags of frozen mixed berries for smoothies, and immediately envisioned dinner: roasted butternut squash with herbs and balsamic vinegar, steamed broccolini and garlicky cannellini beans. Healthy, easy and super tasty, just the way I like it! 🙂
One of my favorite restaurants Native Foods has an African Peanut Soup that I adore. It tastes very fattening though so I wanted to try and make something similar, but with less fat. As well, theirs is a very smooth soup and I prefer chunkier soups – I like chewing! This version is thick and chunky, while still being creamy. And this can vary depending on how much of it you want blended, using your immersion or regular blender. Feel free to play around with spices and amounts. Those listed here result in a mild flavor.
These muffins are very similar to my Sunshine Muffins, with a few small changes, and the addition of blueberries and poppy seeds – yummy. I have only used fresh blueberries in this recipe but frozen (thawed) would work too. These go VERY quickly in my house.
As much as I complain about not enjoying cold weather and shorter days, I must admit the food that is most often consumed during those months, i.e., soups and stews, is my most favorite! I made this soup in the crock pot recently on a rainy Saturday. Perfect! I really like lentils so a soup that calls for two kinds – even better!
I’ve been craving lemon lately, which isn’t normal for me. I’m guessing it’s because I associate lemon with spring and the outdoors, which are two things I also crave. Living in SoCal the winters are really no big deal, but it’s still winter, and we have our days of no sun, with plenty of rain and even some cold temps (all relative, I understand). Whatever. I’m over it. However, since I have a ways to go until fairly consistent warmth and sunshine ensue, I will satisfy my cravings with muffins like these. To me, they taste like sunshine. The cardamom flavor paired with the fresh lemon is quite delicious. And the best part is they are healthy, using whole grain flours, no animal products and no added fat. The sun is shining in my kitchen!
Extras: 1) Top muffins with candied lemon zest just prior to cooking for extra lemony goodness. 2) Add 1-2 TBS poppy seeds to batter for Sunshine Poppy Seed Muffins. 🙂
UPDATE 2/12/13: Apparently the cardamom I used the first few times I made these had been around awhile. I purchased fresh (as fresh as you can get in the store) and used it in the recipe yesterday and the cardamom flavor was way too strong for my tastes. If you like it strong, stick with the 2 tsp, but I’m adjusting the amount to call for 1/2-1 tsp. Also, I felt the need to improve texture a bit. I wanted to lighten them a little; do something to help them rise a bit more (always tricky with fat/free, vegan baking). I added ground chia seeds/water and was very happy with the end result. You can grind them in a clean coffee grinder or blender.
So, I bought 2 acorn squash to decorate my Thanksgiving table and they’ve been sitting on my kitchen counter ever since. I finally decided to cut those bad boys open and do something with them. What a favorable result!!! If you are pressed for time, this isn’t the best dish to make, unless you omit the gravy….then it’s not bad. The gravy on it’s own isn’t time consuming or difficult, but if you stick it in with the other steps for the squash, it adds up.
*If you’ve ever cut a raw acorn squash before, you know how difficult it can be. To make this process easier, next time I will roast the squash whole first, for maybe 10 minutes, then cut it in half, and finish cooking. Not sure if 10 minutes is the magic number but the squash would have to be softer than when they went in! Give it a try. Without this step, the squash takes about 35 minutes to cook. I prefer scooping out the seeds and stringy stuff after its cooked – it comes out much easier that way.
