Beet & Lentil Soup

Winter is coming = soup time. I used to make pureed veggie soups like this, but without lentils, and they were not nearly as satisfying. With the addition of lentils, a large bowl of this hearty soup is enough to keep you warm and full.

Wondering about nutrition? Beets do wonders for your insides: the betalains in beets provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support. Lentils are a heart-healthy superfood that is 25% protein, rich in dietary fiber, folate, and magnesium. Sweet potatoes pack a lot of Vitamin A and antioxidants. Don't skip the raw parsley garnish - this herb contains health benefiting essential volatile oils, antioxidants, potassium, and Vitamin K.

Makes 4 bowls

• 3 medium beets
• 1 small sweet potato 
• Handful fresh parsley 
• 3/4 cup lentils, rinsed
• 2.5 cups water or vegetable broth
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 chili peppers 
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• Pinch chili flakes
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Peel and chop beets and sweet potato into small chunks (no bigger than 1in cubes or cook time may be longer). Place in nonstick pan. 

Chop a handful of fresh parsley and add to pan with rinsed lentils and water or vegetable broth. Cover with lid, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 35min. 

Meanwhile, mince garlic and chili peppers - set aside. 

Once the beets mixture has finished simmering, remove the pan from heat and let cool before transferring to a blender. Blend until smooth. 

While blending, add a small amount of olive oil to the same pan, and brown garlic and chili peppers over medium heat. Add garlic and chili peppers to blender and blend til mixed. 

Transfer everything back to pan. Add paprika, turmeric, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Add water until desired consistency achieved (I added about 3/4 cup for a thicker soup). Stir to combine. Cover and let simmer at low heat for 15min. 

Serve warm. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Volcano Wraps

On our honeymoon, we went volcano boarding at Cerro Negro in Nicaragua. It was a challenging hike given the strong winds, and overall a petrifying experience. The rewards of this adventure came in the form of a gash in my left shin caused by fallen volcanic rock, black ash lodged firmly into every crevasse of my body, a wind-designed hairstyle that impenetrable by brush, comb or fingers, and a delightful lunch made by our guide at Quetzaltrekkers. This meal tastes extraordinarily good devoured while sitting on a hammock, sipping on a Toña cerveza, but tastes just as good now that we're back home, reminiscing about the goodtimes in Nica. 

Going down the side of Cerro Negro
as slowly and fearlessly as possible. 

Victory meal for volcano boarding survivors.

Makes 4-5 medium wraps. 

Nica journaling

• 3 large carrots
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 roma tomato
• 1 ear of corn (use frozen if fresh isn't available)
• 1 very small onion (more or less to taste)
• 1 squeeze of lime
• salt and pepper, to taste
• soft, medium, whole wheat tortilla wraps
• 14oz squeeze pouch Ducal refried beans (canned variety is close enough if you don't live near any Mexican & South American grocery stores)
• topping: spicy nacho Doritos

 

Peel carrots, then shred through large-hole shredder of your grater. Place shredded carrots into large salad bowl. 

Wash cucumber (you only need half), then quarter lengthwise before slicing thinly. I prefer thin slices, but you can make chunkier if it suits you. Add sliced cuke to salad bowl. 

Wash tomato, slice in half, then remove seeds and slime. Dice, then add to bowl. 

Shuck the corn, then take a sharp knife to slice the kernels off in swaths. I lay the corn flat on a large chopping board instead of holding it vertically so the kernels don't fall everywhere. Add kernels to salad bowl. 

Dice as much onion as you'd like and add to the mix. I use most of a small onion, because although I don't mind the taste of raw onion, it is not meant to overpower the salad. 

Add a squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to the salad, then toss to mix. 

Wrap assembly can be done however you like, but this is the order I like:  Squeeze a good dollop of refried beans into the center of the wrap. Pick up the wrap and fold lightly to evenly distribute beans. Re-open the wrap, crush a few spicy doritos into the beans, then pile high with salad mix, before topping off with a few more crushed spicy doritos. Hot sauce can be added if you are a fan of goodness. Fold up, enjoy and repeat as necessary! 

Tabbouleh with Quinoa

Summer salad time! Parsley is seriously overlooked because it's an herb and usually only used as garnish. Nutrition-wise however, parsley is an amazingly healthy green, rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins (A, B, C, E and K), dietary fiber, essential volatile oils, potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium and folates. Wow, that was a long list of goodness! So here's a way to get a whole lot of good in you, fast: tabbouleh!

This parsley salad makes a great starter or side for two, but sometimes I demolish the entire recipe as a main. Because I'm hungry. And it's completely guilt free.

I've used quinoa instead of the traditional bulgur, and lime instead of lemon. Also opting out of cucumber. Bonus is that I got to use our homegrown tomatoes - yay! 

Yield: 2 sides or 1 main

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 small, ripe tomatoes (or 1 medium)
• 2 green onion
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
• juice of 1 lime (approx 2 tbsp)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp sumac
• salt and pepper to taste

Start by cooking the quinoa in advance to allow time for it to cool. Add water, cumin, and salt to quinoa in a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and set a timer for 15min. Let cool completely after it has cooked. 

Wash all vegetables thoroughly, and dry parsley in salad spinner. 

Mince garlic, dice tomatoes, and thinly slice the green onion and parsley. Use all leafy parts of the parsley, and discard parsley stems or save for some other use (I keep the stems to make vegetable broth).

Juice the lime. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl, along with the lime juice, olive oil and seasonings. Let marinate for 10min before serving. Enjoy! 

Palak Saag (Curried Spinach)

We were at a baby shower that was held at a beautiful Indian restaurant in downtown San Francisco on the weekend. One of the many amazing delights served was a perfect palak saag. For some insane reason, B isn't a fan of any palak (spinach)-based Indian dishes, so I created my version/attempt of palak saag on a night when he already had dinner plans (aka mystery meat in a bun at some sports arena). 

Note 1: I prefer the spinach not schloppy (pureed), so I've left it in its original cooked form. 

Note 2: This vegetarian recipe makes enough for one large dinner portion, or two smaller lunch portions. Though it would also pair well with a Chicken tikka masala (recipe: here) for a heartier meal. 

Yields 1 large dinner portion, or 2 smaller lunches. 

• 1 cup basmati rice (2 cups water)
• 1 9oz bag of fresh, washed spinach
• 2 inch section fresh ginger
• 6-8 cloves garlic
• 1 green serrano chili pepper
• 1 green onion
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tsp paprika (heaping!)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 roma tomato
• 1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup skim milk

Cook basmati in a rice cooker if you have one, or on the stove per package instructions.

Add about 3 fingers of water to a medium sized pot and heat til boiling (not too much water required as the spinach will shrink). Once the water has reached boiling, add the 9oz bag of washed spinach and blanch for about a minute. Strain in a colander and allow excess liquid to continue to drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 

Mince the ginger, garlic and serrano chili together. Mince as finely as possible. 

Dice green and yellow onion. 

Heat small amount (about 1tsp) of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over med-high. Add ginger, garlic, serrano, green and yellow onions. Cook for a few minutes, stirring. Reduce heat to medium, then add paprika, salt, cumin, and turmeric and continue stirring for another minute or two. 

Meanwhile, dice the tomato and chop the cilantro. Add both to the spiced mixture in pan and stir for a few minutes.

Squeeze any excess liquid from the blanched spinach, then add to the frying pan, along with 1/2 cup of skim milk. Reduce heat to med-low, stirring well to incorporate all ingredients. Cover and let simmer for 5-10min.

The rice should be ready by this point. Serve alongside palak saag. Enjoy :)

Vegetarian Tikka Masala, Turmeric Brown Rice

Meat lovers pizza twice in one week? Ugh. Time for another vegetarian meal to lighten things up. I decided on a meatless version of my Chicken Tikka Masala (recipe: here), subbing out the chicken for cauliflower and potatoes. 

And since I keep reading articles (like this one) that remind me about the amazing health benefits of turmeric, it seemed a good idea to add a scoop in with the brown rice... Wow! The rice turned out gloriously golden, a brilliant pop of color that contrasts vibrantly with the curry! 

I also served this with store-bought naan (boo :( still haven't got my homemade whole wheat naan recipe right) because the curry is pretty spicy and you'll want more than just your mouth soaking up the heat directly! 

Serves 4

• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 inch fresh ginger
• 2 dried red chili peppers*
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 cups cauliflower
• 2 red potatoes (2 cups)
• 1 roma tomato
• 2 tsp garam masala, heaping
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne*
• 1 can (6oz or 170gr) tomato paste
• fat-free milk (enough to fill emptied can of tomato paste twice)
• dollop of fat-free, plain yogurt
• 1 1/4 brown rice (2 1/2 cups water)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder, heaping
• cilantro, garnish (All I had was fresh mint and that worked too)
• 1 pkg naan

* Feel free to adjust the amount of dried red chilis and cayenne powder to taste! 

Start by prepping the veggies -- Mince garlic, ginger and dried chilis together. Dice the onion. Wash and chop 2 cups worth of cauliflower florets. Dice the potatoes and tomato. 

Measure out the spices and set aside. 

Heat a small amount of olive in frying pan over med-high. Add minced garlic, ginger and chilis. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring, til fragrant and edges of garlic turn golden. Add diced onion and cook for another few minutes. 

Add the spices which have been set aside and stir. Then add diced tomato, tomato paste, skim milk, and yogurt. Stir well to incorporate until the paste becomes a thick sauce. 

Add cauliflower and yogurt, mixing well to coat the veggies in sauce. Once the curry starts to bubble, turn heat to low, cover with lid, and let simmer for about 40min. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking to the bottom. Feel free to add more skim milk or water to achieve desired consistency. 

Once the curry has been set to simmer, set the brown rice and scoop of turmeric powder to cook (rice cooker or stovetop are both fine).

Closer to serving time, preheat oven to 350, wrap naan in tin foil, and bake for 5-10min so the naan is soft and fresh for dinner.

Serve with fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy! 

Vegetarian Delight: Tofu & Mushrooms, Spicy Satay Sauce

Last night, B had a business dinner. I normally don't love solo dining, but I took the opportunity to create something using ingredients B cringes and shudders at the thought of. Tofu and mushrooms are definitely high on his list of things not to put in his mouth, but I happen to find both delightful, so why not throw the two together! Mmm! 

This vegetarian dish is nutritious and packed with protein (the one brick of tofu alone contains 35gr of protein!). Feeling somewhat weighed down and guilty from the late night meat lovers pizza the dinner before, I had this tofu stir fry on its own. It would make a fantastic topper for a brown rice bowl though. Quinoa would work just as well. 

Serves 2

• 14oz extra firm, reduced fat tofu
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 dried red chili pepper
• 1/2 onion
• 1 small zucchini
• 8 medium mushrooms
• 1/3 cup frozen shelled edamame peas
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Spicy satay sauce: 
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (not chunky)
• 1/2 tsp green thai curry paste
• 1/2 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper 
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander 
• Optional: brown rice or quinoa (cooked per package instructions)
• Sesame seeds, garnish

Carefully remove tofu from packaging, and set aside in a colander to drain excess liquid while you prepare the veggies.

Mince the garlic and chili pepper together. 

Dice the onion. Slice zucchini lengthwise into 4-5 strips, then dice. Chop washed mushrooms into bite-size chunks (I cut each mushroom up into 6 pieces). 

Measure out 1/3 cup of frozen shelled edamame peas and set aside.  

Carefully slice the tofu into rectangular cubes. I sliced a 14oz brick into 20 mini bricks of approximately the same size. 

Heat no more than 1 tsp olive oil in a medium frying pan over high, swiveling the pan around so the tsp of olive oil evenly coats the pan.  Once the pan is hot, add the sliced tofu, taking care to ensure the pieces don't break (extra firm tofu is easiest to work with). Reduce to medium heat and cook for about 3 minutes. Carefully flip each tofu slice over (I find using chopsticks allows the most precision and control, but a spatula should work fine too), letting each side cook for approx 3min until the tofu is golden all around. Meanwhile, measure out all spicy satay sauce ingredients and mix together in a cup or small bowl, stirring well to incorporate. Once the tofu is finished cooking, remove from pan and set aside on a plate, covering with a pot lid to keep warm. 

Without adding any more oil to the same frying pan, add the minced garlic, red chili and diced onions over medium heat. Cook for 2min, adding a tablespoon of water to help steam fry. Add the frozen edamame peas to the pan and stir for another minute. 

Add mushrooms and zucchini to pan. Give the satay sauce another big stir, then pour into pan with veggies.Cook for 5-10min until sauce has thickened to desired consistency. 

(If serving as a brown rice/quinoa bowl, portion out brown rice/quinoa, arrange tofu slices over top, then drizzle sauce and veggies on tofu. Garnish with sesame seeds.)

Serve saucy vegetables over bed of tofu. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!