Monday, March 9, 2015

Red Lentil and Black Bean Stew

  • 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil 
  • 1 large onion, chopped 
  • 2 minced garlic cloves 
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin 
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika 
  • 4 cups vegetable broth 
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
  • 3/4 cup red lentils 
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed, mashing half the beans with a fork 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • juice of one lime 
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and paprika; cook for 1 minute. Add broth and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Add the lentils, lower heat, and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes.

Add the beans (whole and mashed), lime juice, salt and pepper. Cook five minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4; 248 calories.

VERDICT:  Winner!  This is easy, hearty, healthy, and really, really good.  I'm already plotting to make it again.  Keep.

Pumpkin, Leek, and Mushroom Pita Pizzas

  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 4 small or 2 medium leeks, halved or quartered and thinly sliced (4 cups)
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • ¾ cup pumpkin or butternut squash purée
  • ¼ cup prepared pesto
  • 4 whole-wheat pita rounds
  • 6 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and salt, cover pan, and cook 5 minutes, or until softened. Add wine, and simmer uncovered 2 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated. Set aside.

Stir together pumpkin purée and pesto in small bowl.

Spread each pita with 1/4 cup pumpkin mixture. Top with 1/2 cup leeks, then mushroom slices. Place pitzas on ungreased baking sheet, and bake 8 minutes, or until crust is crisp and edges are browned.

Serves 4: 333 calories.

VERDICT:  Super-easy and good.  Also surprisingly amenable to toaster-oven cooking at work, once all the components are made.  Keep!

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Mushroom Tacos al Pastor

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 pound assorted mushrooms (creminis and portabellos work well), cleaned and cut into large chunks
  • 2 cloves garlic, miced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dark chili powder
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 1 lime, juiced, plus two wedges of lime
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Cilantro
  • 6 small corn tortillas
  • queso fresco, optional

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high-heat. Set aside 3 T. onion.  Add remaining onion and mushrooms to the skillet and sauté for about 10 minutes--until onions are tender and mushrooms begin to brown.

Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder to onions and mushroom.  Saute for 30 seconds until garlic is aromatic, then add orange and lime juice, and salt.  Cook for two to three minutes until the juice reduces.
Heat tortillas according to package directions.

Spoon mushroom mix into tortillas and garnish with reserved raw onion, chopped cilantro, and queso fresco, if using.  Squeeze lime juice on top.

Serves 2; 498 calories.

VERDICT:  These are good, and probably would be even better with a little fresh pineapple, as suggested by the recipe note.  However, a pound of mushrooms for two people is a considerable expense and cleaning effort.  Toss.

Chickpea Spread for Bruscetta



  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed
  • 1 red onion, diced small
  • 1 carrot, diced small
  • 1 celery stalk, diced small
  • 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 1/2 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
  • Loaf of country bread
  • Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and chile flakes. Cook until softened and translucent, about three to four minutes. Deglaze with white wine and reduce completely. Add garbanzo beans and the spinach, along with 1/4 cup water. Stew for about 20 minutes, adding more water if needed. In the last few minutes, finish with parsley. Roughly smash with a potato masher. Cut the bread into 10 slices, drizzle with olive oil, and grill until nicely charred. Spread the garbanzo bean mix on the bread. Finish with any of the following toppings: a fried or poached egg; oil-packed tuna and arugula; goat cheese; or avocado and tomato.

Serves 10; 184 calories.

VERDICT:  We made this for the Oscars on wheat baguette and added goat cheese--surprisingly good and a just fancy enough.  I also added a bit of leftover Swiss chard, which I don't think anyone noticed.  Keep!

Chickpea, Cherry, and Ginger Salad

  • 2 15.5oz cans chickpeas
  • 1 11oz can mandarin oranges
  • 1/2 red onion diced
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 2 T. minced ginger
  • 2/3 c. chopped pecans
  • 2/3 c. dried tart cherries
  • 1 minced jalapeno
  • 1 c. chopped parsley
  • 4 oz. crumbled goat cheese or feta
  • 2 T. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 T. olive oil
  • salt & pepper
Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl. Whisk together cider vinegar & olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over salad and mix well.

Serves 4; 587 calories.

VERDICT:  I thought the canned mandarin oranges might be weird, but the whole thing is oddly good and satisfying.  Keep.

Vegetarian Chili


  • 2 tablespoons canola oil 
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions 
  • 1 cup chopped red bell peppers 
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic 
  • 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste 
  • 1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice 
  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears) 
  • 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms (about 5 large), stemmed, wiped clean and cubed 
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder 
  • 1 tablespooon ground cumin 
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 
  • 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 
  • 3 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained 
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 
  • 1 cup vegetable stock, or water 
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 
  • Sour cream or strained plain yogurt, garnish 
  • Diced avocado, garnish 
  • Chopped green onions, garnish 
  • Brown rice, to serve
In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

To serve, place 1/4 cup of brown rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the chili into the bowls over the rice. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and spoonful of avocado. Sprinkle with Essence and green onions and serve.

Serves 6; 311 calories.

VERDICT: A lot of ingredients, but good. Keep.