Lentil Soup with Brown Rice

Makes 6 servings

3 Tbsp. EVOO
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
6 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp minced garlic)
8 cups chicken broth/stock
1/2 cup long grain brown rice
2 cups chopped tomato
3/4 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp finely shredded Asiago cheese
fresh thyme sprigs and/or oregano leaves

1. In a 4-quart dutch oven heat EVOO over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook for abour 5 minutes until tender.
2. Stir in broth and uncooked brown rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in tomato and lentils. Return to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 30 more minutes, or until rice and lentils are tender.
4. Stire in thyme, oregano, lemon juice, and pepper.
5. Top individual servings with Asiago cheese and if desired thyme springs and/or oregano leaves.

Calories 257
from "The Sonoma Diet Cookbook"

Sloppy Joe's (3 different recipes)

Deceptively Delicious Sloppy Joes (From Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious)

Serve these on a whole grain hamburger or hot dog bun.

Minutes to Prepare: 25 Minutes to Cook: 20 Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground turkey or sirloin
1/2 cup sweet potato puree
1/2 cup butternut squash or red pepper puree
raw, finely chopped carrots (optional)
1/2 cup reduced-fat low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 whole-grain hamburger or hot-dog buns


Directions

1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil. Add the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook until the onion starts to soften (not brown), 3 - 4 minutes.

2. Add the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink, 4 - 5 minutes.

3. Add the vegetable purees, raw chopped carrots (if using), beef broth, tomato paste, Wortcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by about one-half, 15 - 20 minutes.

4. Spoon the mixutre over buns and serve.

Serves 8

***

Tosca's Sloppy Joes (from "The Eat Clean Cookbook for Families and Kids"

Ingredients:

1/2 c low-sodium chili sauce

2 T tomato paste

1 T worcestershire sauce

1 t each cumin, sea salt, black pepper and chili powder

1 T white wine vinegar

1 T dried, crumbled oregano

1 T best-quality olive oil

1/4 c finely chopped sweet onion

1/4 c finely chopped celery

1 clove garlic- passed through a garlic press

1 lb. lean ground turkey or bison

3/4 c cooked brown rice

Handful chopped scallions

4 multi-grain buns- cut in half

1/4 c homemade hummus

Directions:

In a small bowl combine chili sauce, tomato past, worcestershire sauce, spices, vinegar and oregano. Mix well. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute onion, celery and garlic for 5 minutes. Add ground meat, let brown for 5 minutes. Drain excess oil.

Combine browned meat with spice mixture, cooked brown rice and scallions and mix gently.

Spread each side of the bun with a tablespoon of hummus.

Spoon about 1 c of the meat mixture onto one side of the bun. Top with the other bun. Cut in half.

Makes: 4 sandwiches

Nutritional Information (half a sloppy joe):

235 Calories

9.5g Fat

16g Protein

16.5g Carbs

2.5g Dietary Fiber

630g Sodium

***

Lentil Sloppy Joes
Yield: 6 – 8 sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, diced

5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp dry mustard

1 large carrot, grated

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 cup lentils*

3 – 4 cups stock**

salt and pepper, to taste

[ *I used French lentils (which hold their shape), but you could also used red or yellow lentils

(which fall apart when cooked), barley, bulgur wheat, or some combination.

**Adjust depending on how “sloppy” you want your sloppy joes to be. ]

Method:

1. In a large sautee pan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat, then add 1 onion, diced and 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, diced, and sautee until the onions and translucent and the mushrooms release their juices.

2. Add 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped, 1 Tbsp chili powder, and 1 tsp dry mustard, and sautee until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Stir in 1 large carrot, grated, 1/4 cup tomato paste, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 cup lentils, and 3 – 4 cups stock. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, and let simmer until the lentils are cooked through, about 30 minutes, adding more stock, if needed.

4. Taste, and add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve on a bun, in a wrap, or plain

Recipe name

Number of servings

Serves  people

Per Serving:
205


.

Kale, Lentils and Linguine

Ingredients:

bunch of kale, leaves torn from stems & washed

1 small red onion (optional)

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup lentils, cooked to just firm – not too soft as they will be mushy (I used french lentils)

1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

linguine, cooked as per package (or any type of pasta)

Directions:

In a large fry pan, pour olive oil and let warm over medium heat.

Once oil is hot, add in red onion and garlic, stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn.

When onions have softened, roughly 3-4 mins, add the kale, some water, salt and red chili flakes (optional).Cover the pan, stirring occasionally for approx 10 mins.

Once the kale is a dark green in colour, and has softened, it is finished.

Place the linguine in bowls and add the kale on top.

Garnish with parmesan or your favourite cheese if you’d like. Enjoy!

Source: foodhealthplay.com

Protein Power Goddess Bowl

Protein Power Goddess Bowl Yields 6 cups
Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked green lentils (yield 2 & 3/4 cups cooked)
• 1 cup uncooked speltberries (yield 2 cups cooked) OR grain of choice, like brown rice
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil, for sautéing
• 1/2 red onion (~1 & 1/3 cups), chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 3 cups spinach or kale, roughly chopped (I used Lacinato kale)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1 batch of Lightened Up Tahini-Lemon Dressing (recipe below)
• Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
• Lemon Wedges & lemon zest, to garnish

Directions:

1. Cook lentils and speltberries (or grain of choice) according to package directions. I did this the night before to save time. Drain and set aside.

2. Prepare the Lightened Up tahini-Lemon dressing in food processor (see below for recipe).

3. In a large skillet over low-medium heat, add your olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic for a few minutes, being careful not to burn. Now add in the chopped red pepper and tomato and sauté for another 7-8 minutes.

4. Stir in the chopped kale or spinach and sauté for another few minutes, just until tender. Stir in the full batch of tahini-Lemon dressing, the cooked & drained grains and lentils, and simmer on low for another few minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the minced parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with lemon wedges and zest. Makes 6 cups.

***

Lightened Up Tahini-Lemon Dressing Yields Just under 1 cup of dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Tahini
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup Nutritional yeast or a bit more, to taste
• 2-4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• 1 tsp kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 3 tbsp water, or as needed

1. In a food processor, add all ingredients and process until smooth. Makes just under 1 cup.

* Find it here