Tag: lentil

Twofer Tuesday!! Quinoa Black Bean And Lentil Chili Turned Tostadas! Si, Señora!

Superfoods that taste super good?? Yes!  Incorporate quinoa as a substitute for meat, rice, and pasta to come up with your own fun new recipes!  Shhhh! They will never know!

Twofer Tuesday!!!  Two meals in one!

Quinoa Black Bean and Lentil Chili

Ingredients:

1 15.5oz.can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup lentils,washed and drained
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 35oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
4 carrots peeled, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup uncooked quinoa, cooked according to package. (2 cups water for 1 cup uncooked quinoa)
4 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. paprika
Salt/pepper

Red lentils! Add a splash of color to your meals!
Red lentils! Add a splash of color to your meals!

Directions:

Heat a frying pan on low/medium heat.
Add olive oil, garlic, onions, carrots and celery.

Don't burn your garlic! No brown! No snap crackle pop! If it burns throw it out and start over!
Don’t burn your garlic! No brown! No snap crackle pop! If it burns throw it out and start over!

Season with spices-chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
Cook until the carrots begin to tenderize.
Add tomatoes, lentils and ingredients from pan to a stock pot.

Let lentils cook in tomatoes for a few minutes. Stir well.
Let lentils cook in tomatoes for a few minutes. Stir well.

Cook on low covered for 45 minutes.
Add cooked quinoa and heat through. (5-10 minutes)

The smell is amazing!! Spice it up with some red pepper flakes and hot sauce of you need a kick!
The smell is amazing!! Spice it up with some red pepper flakes and hot sauce if you need a kick!

Twofer Tuesday! This dish becomes your Mexican tostada base for another meal! Toast your tostada shells.  Heat your chili. Add toppings of your choice like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, shredded cheese and avocado!

Serve with Corn bread! Enjoy !
Ciao!

Hearty Healthy Super Easy Crockpot Lentil Soup! Optional Add… Sausage And Potatoes!!

As our first-week-of-Spring low temps here in Western PA tank back into the 20s and 30s, we need a hearty soup to warm our bones! Again!! Hopefully for the last time! I love this recipe!!! So easy in the crockpot!!

Add your own twist to this soup! Like spicy? Add red pepper flakes and hot sausage!
Add your own twist to this soup! Like spice? Add red pepper flakes and hot sausage!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic pressed
4 carrots chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 tbsp. each Basil, rosemary, thyme
1/2 tbsp. fennel seed
Salt/pepper
1 28oz. can LaValle San Marzano
1 cup dry lentils rinsed
1 32oz.box of low sodium chicken stock
 

Optional:
1-1/2 lb. kielbasa, sweet or hot sausage link cut into 1 inch chunks.
3 cups chopped red potatoes washed and skinned.
Remember the superfood chia! Add your gel or the seeds right into to the soup!

Directions:

Add olive oil to frying pan on medium heat.
Start with garlic and chopped onions.
Add celery and carrots and let cook 15 minutes.
Season with basil, rosemary, thyme and add fennel seed.

I love to start off a soup with olive oil, garlic and veggies in the frying pan. I season all of it with my spices!  The flavors mix and the veggies have an opportunity to soften a bit!
I love to start off a soup with olive oil, garlic and veggies in the frying pan. I season all of it with my spices! The flavors mix and the veggies have an opportunity to soften a bit!

Add contents of frying pan and all other ingredients to the crockpot! Cook for 6 hours on high!

Add lentils dry, but washed with water! Like any other veggie, clean them off dab with a paper towel! They will cook in the crockpot!
Add lentils dry, but washed with water! Not soap!!! Like any other veggie, clean them off dab with a paper towel! They will cook in the crockpot!

Always top off with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, grab a fresh loaf of ciabatta bread and enjoy!

Ciao!