Coconut Curry Red Lentil Soup

Did you know that legumes (beans, peas and lentils) are the hardest hitters when it comes to fiber?  Not to mention you can pair them with whole grains or nuts to get complete protein.  I've been focussing on legumes lately to see how to work more of them into our diet.  Here is a recipe we tried tonight that I couldn't stop eating!  We served it over brown rice and it was fantastic.   I made quite a few substitutions, as noted.  In the end I wanted the flavor to be a bit stronger, so I sprinkled it with salt.  But you may consider adding a little more of the flavorings.

Coconut Curry Red Lentil Soup

• 1 TB peanut oil [we used sesame oil]
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 TB minced fresh ginger root
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 pinch fenugreek seeds [we used fresh minced celery leaves]
• 1 cup dry red lentils
• 1 cup butternut squash - peeled, seeded and cubed [we used zucchini]
• 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 can coconut milk
• 2 TB tomato paste [I did 3 TB tomato sauce]
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat and sauté onion, ginger, garlic and fenugreek until onion is tender.  Mix in the lentils, squash and cilantro.  Stir in the water, coconut milk and tomato paste.  Season with curry powder, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, or until lentils and squash are tender.

Black Bean Couscous Salad

We LOVED this recipe.  Justin liked it so much he had thirds.  I served it with garlic lemon tilapia and green beans.  It's a great way to eat beans, and you don't have to follow it exactly - I went with what I had

Black Bean and Couscous Salad

• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 3 TB olive oil
• 2 TB lime juice [we used the juice of one lime]
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar [we used balsamic]
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 8 green onions, chopped [only had 4, but wouldn't be bad with 8!]
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped [omitted, and I actually think it'd be better to leave it out]
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed [omitted]
• 2 cans black beans, drained [we heated them up before adding them, I liked that]
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring chicken broth to a boil, stir in couscous, remove from heat and cover.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin.  Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.  Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks.  Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Vegetarian Chili

This chili is a hit!  Bryce and Michelle tried it, Mom tried it and of course I made it for Justin.  Everyone seemed to like it.  I seemed to like it with a good helping of sour cream and cheese, but that's how I roll.  This chili is healthy and tasty.  The only thing about it, is that the original recipe is VERY spicy.  I omitted a few of the spiciest things and made some notes about the others.  I also found a recipe for chili powder that allowed me to add all of the flavor of chili powder without the kick (notice it calls for a full quarter cup of chili powder).  Do not skimp on the other spices.  It will seem like a lot, but don't fear!  It's great that way.  I also used whatever beans I had on hand, without following the recipe exactly.  Want to eat more beans?  This is a great way.

Vegetarian Chili

• 1 TB olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 TB oregano
• 1 TB salt
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped [I did more]
• 1 (4 oz) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained [I didn't drain them]
• 3 (28 oz) cans diced/crushed tomatoes [or until the amount of tomatoes looks right to you - I've also done fresh diced tomatoes]
• 1/4 cup chili powder [I would do less, or alter the cayenne using the recipe I linked to above]
• 1 TB black pepper [maybe less for kids]
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can whole kernel corn

Saute onion in olive oil, season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano and salt.  Cooke and stir until onion is tender, then add the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, garlic and green chili peppers.  Heat through, cover pot and simmer 5 minutes.  Mix the tomatoes into the pot.  Season with chili powder and pepper.  Stir in the beans.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes.  Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.

[I also tried this by dumping everything into a slow cooker in the morning and it was done and delicious by dinnertime.  It's very low-hassle that way.]