Tag Archives: tomato

Cheezy Rice/Quinoa & Lentil Bake

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I’ve made this a few times and the kids always love it. There are so many different variations of this dish so get creative! You can make this with or without the spinach and tomato addition. A few people said they used the leftovers as dip! I used it (in my next post) for Leftovers Lasagna! Enjoy!

Cheezy Rice & Lentil Bake

Cheezy Rice & Lentil Bake

Cheezy Rice & Lentil Bake (with Spinach/Tomato/Quinoa option!)

INGREDIENTS

3 cups low sodium veggie broth or water
3/4 cup uncooked lentils – I used green lentils
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice or quinoa
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
* 10oz package frozen spinach (optional)
* 1-15oz can diced tomatoes, drained OR 1 box Pomi chopped tomatoes, drained (optional – you could use 1 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes here too!)
** Cheeze recipe below

Possible additions – artichoke hearts (add to the spinach version!), 1 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, soaked for 30 minutes (instead of Pomi or canned), green chiles, red pepper flakes, use leftovers from Spinach Artichoke Dip instead of the LowFat Nacho Cheese…

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients except the cheese in a baking dish (I use an 11 x 7 for the original recipe – used a 9 x 13 with the spinach and tomato addition).
3. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes – (the quinoa/lentil/spinach took about an hour)
4. Make the cheese sauce before the time is up – takes about 5 minutes.
5. Remove the foil, add the cheese (recipe below), stir well and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

** If using tomatoes, add them in and stir 5 minutes before it’s done.

Low Fat Vegan Nacho Cheese

Ingredients
¼ cup raw cashews – I soaked mine for a few hours first
⅔ cup non-dairy milk – I used unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp yellow miso paste
½ tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp arrowroot or cornstarch
¼ cup roasted red bell peppers – I use a whole one from the jar
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp black pepper
a dash of cayenne pepper

Cheese Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or Vitamix type blender and process until smooth and creamy.

Cheezy Quinoa & Lentil Bake made with spinach and tomatoes - stir all ingredients in one pan before baking!

Cheezy Quinoa & Lentil Bake made with spinach and tomatoes – stir all ingredients in one pan before baking!

Make your cheeze sauce!

Make your cheeze sauce!

Quinoa & Lentil Bake - ready for cheeze and tomatoes!

Quinoa & Lentil Bake – ready for cheeze and tomatoes!

Add in cheeze sauce and stir

Add in cheeze sauce and stir

Put back in oven, uncovered

Put back in oven, uncovered

Add in tomatoes 5 minutes before cook time is done

Add in tomatoes 5 minutes before cook time is done

Yummy!

Yummy!

Quinoa & Lentil Bake with Spinach & Tomatoes

Quinoa & Lentil Bake with Spinach & Tomatoes

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

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I’ve been craving curry with cauliflower and chickpeas for a while now so I decided to try this since cauliflower is on sale at Sprouts this week. This was really good and pretty easy to make. My hubby ate two small bowls of it before I even started the quinoa and our 14 month old son ate a ton of it! He’s learning how to use a spoon and did quite well with this dish! I served this over quinoa but I bet brown rice would work too.I also doubled the recipe in order to have lots of leftovers.

Cauliflower Chickpea Curry

Yummy!

Ingredients:

1⁄2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1⁄2 head cauliflower (about 1 pound), cut into florets

2 tablespoons curry powder – I used Kashmiri Curry from World Spice

1 vine-ripened tomato, chopped OR 1 can diced tomatoes

1 1⁄2 cups chickpeas, cooked OR 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 can full-fat coconut milk – (I used one can of regular and one can of lite)

1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root

1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped – a few extra for garnish

Cooked quinoa – I served this over quinoa and it was really good! You could use brown rice too.

Procedure

  1. Water sauté the onion and cauliflower. Cook until the onions caramelize and the cauliflower is browned.
  2. Add the curry powder and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes break down and soften, about 6 minutes.
  3. Mix in the chickpeas, tomato paste, ginger and coconut milk. Stir everything together. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the cauliflower istender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Uncover and continue cooking until the excess moisture has evaporated and the cauliflower and chickpeas are coated with a thick gravy. Add ume vinegar/apple cider vinegar. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

    Saute cauliflower and onions until onions are caramelized and cauliflower is brown

    Add curry powder and tomatoes, cook until tomatoes break down and soften

    Add coconut milk, tomato paste and chickpeas… stir, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes

    Uncover and cook until most of the excess liquid cooks and a nice thick sauce is left

    Add chopped cilantro, stir and cook a few more minutes

    Serve over quinoa, garnish with cilantro!

     

Lentil Kale Soup

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This soup is a meal in itself! Our kids both loved this soup, especially our 1-year old who ate two big bowls!

Lentil Kale Soup

I served this with a little Coconut ‘Bacon’ on top, it was delicious!

Original recipe from Food.com.

Ingredients

  • 5 cups vegetable broth + 3 cups water (OR 8 cups of water)
  • 1 1/2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed (I used brown lentils)
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 (2 lb) can chopped tomatoes, drained,reserving juice – I used a large can of tomato sauce (all I had on hand) but I bet you could use fresh tomatoes, if you prefer
  • 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ¼ inch pieces
  • 1 onions, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups chopped frozen kale (Trader Joe’s sells it now) OR 1 bunch fresh chopped kale
  • 1/2 heaping tsp crumbled dried basil (pinch it between your fingers)
  • 1/2 heaping tsp crumbled oregano
  • 1/4 tsp crumbled dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Directions

  1. Combine broth, 3 cups water (or just 8 cups of water if you’re not using broth), lentils, rice, canned tomatoes with reserved juice (or tomato sauce OR fresh tomatoes), carrots, onion, celery, and herbs and bring to boil (do not add parsley and vinegar).
  2. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 45-55 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender.
  3. Stir in kale and cook for another 5 minutes or until kale is wilted.
  4. Stir in parsley and vinegar and season to taste.
  5. Serve as is or blend up soup using your immersion blender. (I blended mine so that our 1-year old could eat it)

Combine everything BUT parsley, vinegar and kale in a soup pot

Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 45-55 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender. Add kale, cook for 5 more minutes or until wilted. Then add parsley and vinegar.

I blended my soup with an immersion blender but you can eat it just like this if you wish.

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Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil “Cheese”

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I’ve been stockpiling raw food recipes lately; I love collard wraps so much but I’m getting bored with the combinations I already have. Since most raw foodist have perfected the collard wrap, I figure it’s about time I do the same. I don’t plan on going 100% raw anytime soon (yeah, like I have that kind of time in the kitchen!) but I’m dabbling. I guess you could say we already eat a pretty raw diet but I’m enjoying learning about the more traditional styles of real raw food… if that makes any sense. 😉

I found this recipe on a Choosing Raw and I had to make it. Not only is this one of the BEST nut cheeses I’ve ever tasted, it’s probably one of the best FOODS I ever tasted! I’ve been slathering it on so many things but I haven’t had a chance to take a better picture to represent all the glory of this beautiful “cheese”. Nevertheless, I had to post this so that you guys have a chance to make it yourselves. I plan on using it in collard wraps, salads, as a dip, I’ve been spreading it on my Pulp “Crackers” (post to follow soon – “crackers” made out of chia seeds and leftover juicing pulp… BRILLIANT!!!), eating it with a spoon, dreaming of putting it on pizza and well, dreaming of putting it on just about anything! This reminds me of sun dried tomato basil cream cheese, I bet it would be excellent on a warm toasted bagel! I haven’t had a bagel in so long…. hmmm….. 🙂

Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil "Cheese"

Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil “Cheese” (AKA Italian “Pizza Cheese”)

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for two hours or more
Juice of one lemon
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp white miso (optional)
4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup basil

Throw nuts in a food processor and process the heck out of them! Then add salt, lemon juice and miso (if you’re using it). Scrape the sides of bowl and run your processor again, this time drizzling some water in. Keep doing this until the cheese reaches the consistency you like. I aim for mine to look like ricotta.

Ready, set, blend!

Smooth like ricotta

Add tomatoes and basil and pulse until they are well combined into the cheese.

Add sun-dried tomatoes and basil

Don't cut yourself licking the blade! 😉

DONE!! Now try not to eat the whole batch by yourself!!

Again, sorry for the terrible photo but I just had to get this to you sooner!!

Tomato & Red Lentil Soup

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You know how much we love soup and lentils! Here’s an easy lentil soup using the unique spice sumac.

What in the heck is sumac? I found this description on WorldSpice.com (where I buy all my spices… YUM!) “The deep red sumac berry is ground and dried to impart a tart, lemony flavor with a refreshing complexity. Sumac’s traditional usage in middle eastern cuisine sees it added to rice or kebabs and sprinkled as a condiment atop bowls of hummus.”

Ah ha… that’s what that red powder is on top of the hummus served at Mediterranean restaurants!

I serve this soup with a scoop of grain (quinoa this time) and a hefty portion of greens (kale, of course)… Like my RD says – make sure to add a grain and a green at every meal! Oh and sometimes I add a scoop of plain soy yogurt on top too.

Our toddler loved the soup... our 7 month old isn't quite ready for that yet so he's enjoying his spoon for now 🙂

Tomato & Red Lentil Soup

 

INGREDIENTS

* 1 medium onion , chopped

* 1 stalk celery , chopped

* 1 medium carrot , chopped

* 2 garlic cloves , minced

* 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes (I use a box of Pomi chopped tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce in a pinch too)

* 4 cups vegetable stock or water

* 1 cup red lentil

* 2 tablespoons dried parsley (or one bunch fresh, chopped – I like to use fresh)

* Salt and pepper, to taste

* 1 to 2 teaspoon sumac (I use 2)

* 1 small lemon, juice of (optional but good)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Saute (using broth, water or bean cooking liquid) the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook until softened (a few minutes). Add the garlic, then, in a minute add the tomatoes and stock or water.

2. Simmer for about 20 minutes, season, and let it cool.

3. Puree the soup – I use my immersion blender for this. You can puree the soup after it’s done too if you’re like me and you always forget at this point! 😉

4. Add the lentils and return to a low simmer. Taste a lentil in about 15 minutes to see if it’s tender. If not, continue cooking, but don’t let them get mushy. 

5. Add the sumac and parsley. Taste for seasoning and add lemon juice if you like.

Saute the onion, celery and carrot. Add garlic.

Add tomatoes and stock/water

Simmer for a bit then add lentils

Puree soup when done

Add parsley, sumac and lemon juice

Sumac

Serve with steamed greens, grain scoop of your choice and a little dollop of soy yogurt, if you wish

 

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Red Lentil Curry

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I love anything with curry and lentils! This is quick and easy to make and it makes the house smell awesome! Our toddler enjoyed this; I added a little plain soy yogurt to hers before I tasted it, thinking it would be spicy but it wasn’t.

Red Lentil Curry

Toddler approved! She insists on wearing a bib now like her little brother 😉

This recipe comes from Vegetarian Hostess.

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil – I omitted this and sauteed with leftover bean cooking liquid (my usual)
1 teaspoon mustard seed – I used black mustard seeds
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon fennel – I used ground fennel
1 tablespoon curry powder – I used Organic Tandoori Masala from Whole Foods
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt – I added less than 1/2 tsp, this seemed like too much
1 tablespoon brown sugar – I used a tiny scoop of Kal Brand Stevia instead
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger root, minced
2 large red tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup tomato puree – I used tomato sauce, all I had
¼ cup shredded coconut – optional but really good!!!
1   Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear (this is very important or the lentils will get “scummy”), put the lentils in a medium sized pot with water to cover and simmer until lentils tender. This should take 10-15 minutes.
2   While the lentils are cooking: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onions  and coat with oil, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until onions are browned somewhat.
3   While the onions are cooking, combine the mustard seed, cinnamon, fennel, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Mix well. When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the onions and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.
4   Stir in the tomatoes and tomato puree and reduce heat, allow the curry base to simmer until the lentils are ready. When the lentils are tender drain them briefly (they should have absorbed most of the water but you don’t want the curry to be too sloppy). Mix the curry base into the lentils and serve immediately garnished with coconut.

Cook lentils, saute onions

Mix garlic, ginger and seasonings together

I used Organic Tandoori Masala from Whole Foods

Add spice mixture to onions

Add lentils, tomatoes and tomato sauce/puree

Top with unsweetened coconut and serve over brown rice

 

 

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