Lentil Stew With Pumpkin or Sweet Potatoes

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

This easy, subtly seasoned stew is an adaptation of a Moroccan recipe by Kitty Morse, from her lovely book “The Vegetarian Table: North Africa.” Whether you choose to use sweet potatoes or winter squash, you’ll be using vegetables with a great deal of vitamin A.

1/2 pound (1 heaped cup) lentils, rinsed and picked over

6 cups water, vegetable stock or chicken stock

1 medium onion, cut in half

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 bay leaf

Pinch of saffron

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

20 sprigs cilantro, tied into a bunch

Salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 medium or 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 pound winter squash (such as pumpkin or butternut squash) or sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

3 tablespoons tomato paste

Freshly ground pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Combine the lentils, water or stock, onion, garlic cloves and bay leaf in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Rub the saffron between your fingers and add to the pot, along with the turmeric and the cilantro. Reduce the heat, add salt to taste, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

2. Remove the onion and garlic cloves from the pot, and add the remaining ingredients except the parsley. Bring back to a simmer, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Discard the cilantro bundle, taste and adjust seasonings. Just before serving, stir in the parsley.

Kale and White Bean Soup

http://nourishedkitchen.com/kale-and-white-bean-soup/

2 cups white beans, soaked overnight

4-5 Carrots, Peeled and Chopped
4-5 Celery Stalks, Chopped
1 Onion, Chopped
5 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
3 Tablespoons Butter or Ghee from Grass-fed Cows
1 Bay Leaf
2 Quarts Homemade Chicken Stock (Yes, from the bones because that’s where all the minerals are!)
1 Bunch Kale (I prefer Blue Dino)
Salt and Pepper to Taste

You’ll need to soak the beans overnight–at least and you can soak them up to 48 hrs or so if you need to.   You should be in the habit of soaking all your grains and legumes as these plant foods contain antinutrients called phytates which inhibit mineral absorption.   By soaking the foods, you remove the antinutrients releasing the full nutritive power of the food as well as increasing its overall digestibility.
Drain the beans and cook them on low in water overnight in the crockpot.   Drain the beans and add all ingredients to your slow cooker except the kale which you’ll add at the last minute.   Cook on low all day long.
Return home from a hard day at work, add the kale to the pot and prepare a simple salad as an accompaniment to the meal.   Serve when the kale is cooked, but still bright green.
This dish–with its use of both beans and kale–would not be nearly as nourishing were it not for proper preparation.

Swiss Chard & Potato Frittata

http://nourishedkitchen.com/a-recipe-potato-swiss-chard-frittata/
Ingredients

3 tablespoons clarified butter (see sources)
2 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
1 bunch Swiss chard, stem removed and chopped coarsely
4 small potatoes (about 1 lb), sliced thin
1 dozen eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream, not ultrapasteurized
unrefined sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Equipment
cast iron skillet
Method
Melt three tablespoons clarified butter in a skillet over a medium flame.  Toss peeled and thinly sliced shallots into the skillet and fry in butter until fragrant.
Add coarsely chopped Swiss chard and thinly sliced potatoes into the skillet and continue to cook until the Swiss chard wilts and the potatoes are tender when pierced by a fork.
Beat one dozen pastured eggs with three tablespoons heavy cream until the mixture becomes uniform.  Season the eggs to your liking with salt and black pepper.
Reduce the flame to medium-low then pour the beaten eggs and cream into the skillet, over the vegetables.  Cook over medium-low until barely set, about six minutes or so.
Place the frittata in your oven, under the broiler for about six minutes until it is cooked through.
Serve warm.
YIELD: about eight servings.
TIME: about twenty minutes.
SUBSTITUTIONS: For the dairy-free, use pastured bacon fat or grass-fed tallow, instead of butter and omit cream entirely.

Lettuce Burritos with Tomato Beans

Feast Without Yeast

Ingredients:
1 can pinto beans
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce
1/8 onion, sliced
safflower oil
brown rice
shredded chicken breast
salt

Heat the skillet on high. Add safflower oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the tomatos. Cook until the tomatoes have lost their shape and you have a sauce. Add the onions and the beans to cook through. Add salt to taste. Mash the beans as they cook. Add water if the beans dry out.

Place beans, shredded chicken breast, and rice in a lettuce leaf. Roll and eat.

Squash Soup in Pumpkin Bowls

www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

For the Bowls:

• 4 small baking pumpkins (such as hooligan or sugar pie), acorn squash or sweet dumplingsquash
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Kosher salt

For the Soup:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• Kosher salt
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 medium butternut or kuri squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons
• heavy cream (optional)
• Freshly ground pepper

For the Toppings:

• Pepitas (hulled green pumpkin seeds)
• Sourdough and/or pumpernickel croutons
• Paprika, chili powder or Spanish pimenton
• Crisp prosciutto, serrano ham or bacon
• Fried onions
• Fried sage or parsley leaves

Directions

Make the bowls: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Use a paring knife to cut a large circle around the stem of each pumpkin (make a zigzag cut, if desired). Remove the lid and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Sprinkle the inside of each with 1/2 teaspoon each sugar and salt. Place the pumpkins and lids on a baking sheet; roast until tender, 20 to 35 minutes, depending on their size.

Meanwhile, make the soup: Melt the butter in a large saucepanover low heat. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Strip the thyme leaves into the pot, increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the squash and sugar and cook, stirring, until glazed, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 5 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. (added more squash (40 oz total) and 1.5 chicken breasts (shredded in blender) (added honey instead of sugar)

Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender, crack the lid to let steam escape and puree until smooth; return to the saucepan (or puree directly in the pan with an immersion blender). Stir in the heavy cream, if desired. (did not add) Season with salt and pepper, and top as desired. 

Enchiladas

From Allison

1 can black beans

1 can refried beans

1 can enchilada sauce

2 chicken breasts, shredded

tortillas

In a bowl, mix beans, half the enchilada sauce, and the chicken.

Pour 1/4 of enchilada sauce on bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.

Roll tortillas with a couple spoonfuls of the bean mixture.

Pour the rest of the sauce on top of the enchiladas.

(Some people put cheese inside and on top of the enchiladas.)

Baked Zucchini with Eggplant and Tomatoes

2 pounds zucchini (1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inches) (5-6 zucchinis)

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 medium eggplant, cut into thin strips (1 x 3 inches)

2 T EVOO

1 t salt

1 t pepper

12 oz can crushed tomatoes (more is ok)

Preheat to 425.

Put veggies in baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Mix well.

Add salt and pepper. Mix again.

Top with tomatoes.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes or until zucchini is fork tender.

Turn oven to boil. Remove foil, mix gently, broil for 3 min.

Lentil Soup

14 oz crushed tomatoes

5 T EVOO

1/2 lb dried lentils

1 onion

2 carrots

2 celery stalks

4 stalks swiss chard - 1" strips

salt

1 t black pepper

Cook tomatoes in 1 T EVOO for 15 min.

Rinse lentils. Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in 6 quart pot.

Bring all ingredients boil.

Simmer 40 min.

Add 2 T EVOO.

Spinach Pie

1 egg yolk

4 egg whites

1/2 pound spinach

1 t red pepper flakes

pepper

3 T olive oil

3 garlic cloves

Boil spinach 2-3 minutes and drain (next time try wilting spinach in olive oil)

Beat egg whites and yolk. Add 1/2 egg mixture to spinach. Add red pepper.

Saute garlic in oil until golden. Remove garlic.

Add spinach mix to oil and cook over medium heat. Add remained of egg and let cook covered 3-4 minutes.

When solid, flip upside down on inverted dish. Slide back into pan and cook 2-3 minutes.

Crepes

1 cup of milk

4 eggs

1 cup of flour

½ tsp salt

1-2 Tablespoons of melted butter.

Beat the egg first, combine with the milk and then add dry ingredients. The melted butter is last.

Broiled Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar

From: The Mediterranean Prescription

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/2 c chicken stock
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
1 T dry mustard
2 T sugar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 c balsamic vinegar
2 T Dijon mustard (I've done it without)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, cover, marinate in refrigerator for 8 hours, turning chicken occasionally.

Preheat broiler.

Remove chicken and broil (2nd rack) 8-9 minutes per side, basting chicken with marinade while cooking.

Roasted Chicken and Carrots with Olives and Lemons

From: Real Simple

1 3.5-4 pound chicken cut into 10 pieces (we used chicken breasts)
2 pounds carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces (cut lengthwise if thick)
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
4 bay leaves
1 lemon cut into wedges
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
1 t paprika

Heat oven to 425

On a large rimmed baking sheet (we used a 9x13), toss chicken, carrots, olives, bay leaves, lemon, oil, 1 t salt, 1/4 t pepper.

Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle with paprika.

Roast, tossing the vegetables once, until the chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender (45-50 min).

Tortellini Soup

From: Marie Keeler

Ingredients:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 48oz can chicken broth (or veggie)
• 28oz can crushed tomatoes (whatever variety is fine, I prefer just plain)
• 1 bay leaf (dried or fresh)
• Italian seasoning (or basil and oregano)
• 1 bag frozen tortellini
• 1 1lb bag baby spinach
• Salt & pepper
• Parmesan cheese
• Crusty bread

Directions:

• In large stock pot heat a tablespoon or so of EVOO
• Add onions and cook for a couple minutes
• Turn heat down a bit and add garlic, salt, and pepper
• Cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant
• Add entire can of chicken broth and crushed tomatoes, 1 bay leaf, and a couple shakes of Italian seasoning
• Bring to a boil, cover, then turn heat down to a simmer
• Let simmer 20 minutes, stirring a couple times to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom
• Take out bay leaf
• Add frozen tortellini, bring back to a boil, then drop to a simmer for about 8 minutes until tortellini is cooked through.
• Add entire bag of spinach and stir into soup until wilted
• Top soup with Parmesan cheese to your liking, warm crusty bread for dipping, and enjoy!