Amazing Autumn!
Hearty recipes that will warm
and comfort you.
As the days gradually grow shorter and evening temperatures begin to dip, nothing beats a satisfying hearty soup. There are several soup or stew recipes here that are terrific. Interestingly, the current slate all consists of soups or stews that feature lentils. The Moroccan soup, for instance, takes a basic lentil soup and enhances the flavor by adding Moroccan herbs and spices.
One of the first crops domesticated in the Middle East, lentils rank as one of the most nutritious foods available in the human diet. Like many legumes, they are a good protein source and are rich in folate, potassium, iron, B vitamins and dietary fiber.
As mentioned, many of our Autumn Recipes call for lentils. Find out more about this delicious, versatile veggie-treat: Lentils
Ingredients
1 cup dried lentils
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup fresh or canned tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup of green beans, fresh or frozen, cut in 1 inch pieces
...you can also use a sweet red pepper.
1 Tbs. of olive or grapeseed oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tsp. of curry powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. of black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
A dash of sea salt
1 cup of plain, lowfat yogurt
Optional garnish: chopped, fresh coriander
In a medium pot or deep skillet heat oil over medium
heat.
Add the garlic, onion and seasonings and saute, stirring
until onions and garlic are tender (about two or three minutes).
Add lentils and vegetables to pan, along with enough
water to cover them. Simmer, uncovered for about
30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Before serving,
sprinkle with a dash of sea salt and stir in the yogurt
over low heat until just heated through.
Garnish with coriander if desired.
If using this as a main dish add more vegetables or
complete the meal with brown rice and/or sprouted
bread.
Here is a great way to serve delicious vegetables on a cool Fall day! It serves up well with a hearty bean stew or especially with one of our lentil soups and corn bread!
Ingredients
3 carrots, washed and cut into
1" pieces
9 small, white button mushrooms, cleaned
2 cups of Brussels sprouts, cut in half if large
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 Tbs. olive or grapeseed oil
1 1/2 cups of low sodium vegetable stock
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
2 Tbs. finely chopped pecans for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl toss the vegetables
with the oil, thyme, salt and pepper then place them in a roasting pan.
Pour the stock into the bottom of the pan. Roast them for about 45
minutes stirring and turning them carefully every 10 to 15 minutes.
When the vegetables become tender turn the oven up to 425 degrees
and continue to roast them for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve hot, garnished with pecans. This dish is also great served over
quinoa, millet, brown rice, couscous, bulgur or pasta. It makes a great
sandwich when wrapped in a warm whole-wheat tortilla!
This recipe makes about 4 servings and only contains about 138
calories and 4 grams of fat per serving. It also provides about 5 grams of dietary fiber.
Enjoy!
adapted from Anne Collins
Ingredients
4 heaped Tbs. dry red lentils (just over 1/2 cup)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. dried, mixed herbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup grated, lowfat or vegan cheese
1 egg white, beaten
1 cup fresh, wholewheat breadcrumbs
1 Tbs.chopped, fresh parsley
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Sea salt and ground pepper
Put lentils in pan with water and mixed herbs.
Bring to a boil then lower the heat and allow to
simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until
the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.
Add in the onions, mushrooms, cheese, bread-
crumbs, parsley and lemon juice. Add enough egg
white to make a soft but not runny mixture. Add sea
salt and ground pepper to taste.
Spoon mixture into a non-stick loaf pan sprayed with
non-stick coating. Cover with foil and bake in oven at
375 degrees for about 35 minutes. Remove foil and
continue to bake for another 15 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly before serving (slices better).
Because they are flat and relatively thin, lentils soften quickly and do not require pre-soaking overnight before they are cooked, unlike other dried beans. Although hearty, lentils do not have an especially strong flavor, making them a perfect ingredient to absorb the spices in this recipe. And it is the spices that truly define this dish. When combined, they are a form of basic Ras el hanoot, a popular blend of herbs and spices widely used throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The name means “head of the shop” in Arabic and refers to a combination of the best spices a seller has to offer. Although there is no rigid list of spices that make up the blend, it usually contains about a dozen popular spices. In some areas, however, it can include over one hundred ingredients. Ras el hanoot is often confused with garam masala, which is a blend of Indian spices. Complement this rich soup with a side salad and sliced whole-wheat pita or other whole-grain bread. It is a simple and delicious way to introduce lentils into your diet if you are not used to cooking with dried beans. Best of all, any unused soup can be refrigerated or frozen, making it a great leftover.
Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups water
3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup red lentils
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz.) can unsalted diced tomatoes
3/4 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
In large pot, sauté garlic, onions and ginger in
olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add all remaining
ingredients and bring to a boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Cover and simmer 30-40 minutes or until lentils
are soft. Puree approximately 1/3 of the soup.
Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir, reheat and
serve.
Makes 10 servings.
Per serving: 180 calories, 2.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat),
29 g carbohydrate, 11 g protein, 7 g dietary fiber,
250 mg sodium.
Ingredients
1 large beefsteak-type tomato, cut into 10 wedges
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
8 oz. firm tofu
1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Cooking spray
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, halved and cut lengthwise into
1/2 inch crescents
3 garlic cloves, divided
2 cups diced eggplant, in 1inch cubes
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut
into 1 inch squares
1 medium zucchini, cut into ¾ inch slices
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square
baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in medium skillet over
medium-high heat. Sauté onions until translucent,
4 minutes. Add two-thirds of garlic, eggplant, red
pepper and zucchini, and cook, stirring, until vege-
tables look moist, 1 minute.
Add tomato and basil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer
until vegetables are tender but not soft, 15 minutes,
stirring occasionally. If pan looks dry, pour in 1/4 cup
water. Season vegetables to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon into prepared baking dish.
While vegetables cook, cube tofu. Spread on a double
layer of paper towels, top with another sheet, and
press firmly to soak up as much moisture as possible
from tofu. Crumble tofu until it resembles finely
crumbled feta cheese.
Place tofu in mixing bowl. Add remaining 1 teaspoon
oil, bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, red pepper, re-
maining garlic and generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Using a fork, combine all ingredients. Sprinkle topping
in even layer over vegetables.
Bake uncovered, until topping is golden and feels dry
and crisp to the touch, 20-25 minutes. Let stand 15 to
30 minutes, and serve hot or warm.
Makes 5 servings.
Per serving: 170 calories, 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat),
16 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber,
250 mg sodium.
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