Pumpkin Lentil Soup

Yet another spin-off of my favorite pumpkin soup.  But I pretty much think that anything with pumpkin in it is the best!  I used orange lentils and they just disappeared in this soup!  Perfect match!  This soup is packed with veggies, protein, and...fiber!  You could make this in a Crockpot and enjoy the smells all day.

Pumpkin Lentil Soup

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small onion, diced

4-6 mushrooms, diced

1 head of broccoli, chopped (or you can use frozen)

1/2 cup lentils, sorted and rinsed

8 oz. whole wheat noodles (uncooked)

1 can pumpkin

32 oz. vegetable stock

4 cups water

1/4-1/2 tsp. allspice (start out with the smaller amount and see how "spicy" you like it.  I like it "spicy"!)

salt & pepper to taste

Saute carrots, celery, onion, and mushrooms for about 5 minutes in a large soup pot.  Add lentils, vegetable stock and water and bring to a boil.  Turn down to med-lo and simmer for 25 minutes.  Turn burner up to about med-hi.  Add noodles and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Add broccoli during last 5 minutes or so.  You don't want to cook the broccoli too long or it will lose its pretty green color (but if you do it will still taste good.) Stir in one can of pumpkin.  Add allspice, salt, and pepper.  Enjoy!

Lentil Lasagna

Don't let the name scare you off.  This is one delicious lasagna.  That being said, don't go into this recipe thinking it will be exactly like your traditional lasagna.  You have to think of it as its own thing.  And it's a good thing.  I was feeling like lasagna but didn't want all of the cheese and dairy that go with it.  I've had some great vegetarian lasagnas that use tofu in the cheese sauce or TVP as the meat but I didn't want to use any soy this time either.  I have substituted lentils for "meat" so many times and in so many other recipes.  I can't believe this is the first time I thought to use it in lasagna.  It was great!  I made THIS cheese sauce to layer with the sauce mixture.  I think next time I will one-and-a-half the recipe or double it.  Just needed a bit more.  It was stretched pretty thin.  For the zucchini layer I used a vegetable peeler to get the slices very thin and long.  I just peeled the zucchini and then used the peeler to slice all around until I got to the inside seed part.  I put a generous layer of zucchini over the first two noodle layers and they blended right in to the noodle layer.  Great way to get more veggies in.  This recipe does take a few pots and pans to make but if you know you're going to make it you can cook the lentils and the cheese sauce in advance and cut down on the time.


*This can also be made in a crock pot.  Layer as directed in recipe.  Do not cook noodles ahead of time.  Layer dry noodles.  You will have to break them up to cover your crock pot-especially if it's round like mine! Add 1 Tbsp. of water to each corner after assembling the lasagna to help the noodles cook.  Cook in crock pot on High for 3 hours.  Note that not all crock pots are the same-adjust time and temperature according to your crock pot.

Lentil Lasagna

9 lasagna noodles, cook as directed
1/2 cup dry lentils
2 cups water
1-2 bottles of your favorite pasta sauce, reserve 1 cup for top
1/2 bag spinach, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 c. chopped mushrooms
2 zucchini-thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler
chopped olives, if desired
Mozzarella "cheese" sauce

Boil noodles in a large pot and cook as directed.

Sort and rinse lentils, being sure to remove any stones.  In a separate pot, bring lentils and 2 cups of water to boil.  Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer for 20 min. or until tender.  Drain off any remaining liquid.  Set aside.

While noodles and lentils are cooking make cheese sauce. (See recipe below.)  When finished, set aside.

In a large skillet heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté garlic and onion.  Add mushrooms.  Add chopped spinach until wilted.  Stir in sauce and cooked lentils.

To assemble lasagna:  Cover bottom of 9x13 baking dish with about 1 cup lentil/sauce mixture.  Top with 3 cooked lasagna noodles.  Layer with half of zucchini slices.  Place zucchini in the same direction as noodles.  Top the zucchini with half of remaining lentil/sauce mixture.  Next, spread half of the cheese sauce over the lentil/sauce layer.  Sprinkle with sliced olives if desired.  Repeat with layer of noodles, remaining zucchini, remaining lentil/sauce mixture, cheese sauce, and olives.  Place last 3 noodles and cover with reserved 1 cup of plain sauce.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Mozzarella "Cheese" Sauce
1 cup water
2 small cloves of roasted garlic
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp. tahini (the larger amount makes it "cheesier")
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp. rolled oats
1 Tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/8 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick.

Sloppy Josés

These sandwiches are a twist off the traditional Sloppy Joe.  The addition of chile peppers, salsa, and beans gives them a kick and I "twisted" them even further and made them with lentils instead of beef.  (If you want to use beef instead of lentils just use 12 oz. lean ground beef.)  Super!  Austin originally found the recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cook Book we checked out from the library.  I loved the way they turned out after the changes we made.  Definitely a keeper!

Sloppy Josés

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and sorted
4 cups water
1/2-1 can refried beans, fat free (use more or less depending on how thick you want your filling)
1 (4 1/2 oz.) can diced green chile peppers
1/2 cup salsa
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
6 hamburger buns
Toppings:  lettuce, sliced olives, pickles, guacamole, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream if desired

Rinse and sort dry lentils, removing any stones.  Place in a saucepan with 4 cups water.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to med-low and place lid slightly ajar over pan.  Simmer for 20 min. or until soft.  Drain off any remaining liquid when done.  Set aside (or go on to the next step while the lentils are cooking.)

In a large skillet, saute diced onion.  Add 1/2 can (about 3/4 cup) refried beans, green chilies, salsa, water, and minced garlic to the skillet.  Stir in cooked lentils.  Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil.  Add more refried beans if desired.  Turn burner to low heat.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until mixture is thick and most of the liquid is gone.

Spoon mixture onto buns.  Top with desired toppings.  Serve.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

We love Shepherds Pie around here and it's so easy to make a vegetarian version. Of course you can always add burger. In fact that's how I used to make it most often. But since we've tried to include more vegetarian meals into our diet I've adapted many of my recipes and this is one of them. Everything else is the same except with the meat version I didn't add lentils and only one can of kidney beans. My Shepherd's Pie has a secret ingredient. I use salsa to give it some good kick. This last time I made it I added a new ingredient that is definitely staying on my permanent ingredient list for this. It's a type of mustard that hardly even tastes like mustard. It's called Southwest Spicy Sweet, Hot Mustard and it's the Great Value brand at Wal-Mart. Let me tell ya, it's GOOD! Adds just a little spice to the dish. Run to Wal-Mart and get you a bottle! You can always add more lentils to this, too. When cooking the lentils just use a 1:4 ratio with lentils to water.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

1 cup dry lentils
4 cups water (for cooking lentils)
4 large potatoes, washed and diced (I leave the peels on. Makes it more hardy.)
2 cans green beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes (I like petite diced the best.)
1 cup salsa
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3 Tbsp. Southwest Spicy Sweet, Hot Mustard
salt and pepper to taste

In small saucepan boil  lentils and water with lid slightly ajar. Simmer for 20 minutes or until soft. In a separate pan boil diced potatoes for 20 minutes.

While the lentils and potatoes are cooking, mix beans, corn, kidney beans, tomatoes, salsa, tomato sauce and mustard in a large baking dish. (I use my dish that is one size bigger than a 9x13.) Add cooked lentils-drain any remaining water first. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mash the boiled potatoes. I throw mine in my Kitchen Aid and I just use a little almond milk or soy milk. I try to leave out the butter since the rest of the dish is so full of flavor you don't really miss it. Salt and pepper the mashed potatoes and spread on top of the bean mixture. I used to sprinkle shredded cheese over the top at this point but now I skip that step. Do whatever makes you happy.

Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes. Warning: Let sit for awhile before serving. It will be boiling hot right out of the oven! Enjoy!

Lentil-Rice Balls

In case you haven't noticed, my family doesn't eat a lot of meat. We're not totally vegetarian since we do eat meat occasionally. I like to refer to our diet as "plant-based". The majority of our diet comes from vegetables including beans and lentils, fruits, and grains. We love eating this way. It fits our lifestyle perfectly and keeps us healthy. In my cooking I have tried to adapt many of our "old favorites" into healthier versions. I just ran across a recipe for "meat"-balls and they are sooo good! They are made with brown rice and lentils. Plain and simple. Nothing weird or unheard of. Even if you're not vegetarian you can eat these. Maybe you just want to add more fiber to your diet or maybe you need a recipe to use lentils in or maybe you'd like a nice high protein dish that costs only a dollar (or less) to make...give these a try. Serve them plain or with pasta and tomato sauce. In the "meat"balls pictured I added 1/2 cup finely diced onion. I browned my "meat"balls on the stove in some olive oil and then turned them into one of our favorites...bar-b-que porcupine meatballs. I served them with Buttered Lime Asparagus and some Quinoa. The possibilities are limitless!  Another great thing about these meatballs?  You can sample them before you cook them!  And they're pretty darn tasty "raw". :)

Lentil-Rice Balls

1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
1/2 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed and sorted to make sure there aren't any stones
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning blend
1/4 tsp. garlic granules
1 tsp. cumin
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup onion, finely diced (optional)

Place the rice and lentils in a small saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover with a lid. Cook on low for 40 minutes, until rice and lentils are soft. Remove from heat and drain thoroughly to remove any excess water.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and/or spray with nonstick spray and set aside.

When the rice and lentils are cool enough to touch, place them in a mixing bowl and add the flour, baking powder, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic, cumin, onions (if using), and pepper to taste. Mix well. Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop or a tablespoon to scoop out about 1 heaping tablespoon of the lentil mixture. Use your hands to squeeze and shape the mixture into tight balls about the size of a walnut. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet.

If not baking right away, cover baking sheet with balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil on top of each ball. Bake them in the oven, turning the balls occasionally, until browned and crispy on the outside, about 30-35 minutes. Serve as desired.


**Optional cooking method: After forming balls, I often just saute in a large skillet with olive oil. On medium heat, turn occasionally to brown each side. When browned and heated through, add sauce or serve plain.

Bar-b-que Tomato Sauce:
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup bar-b-que sauce

Mix together and pour over browned "meat"balls. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Red Lentil Soup

Did I mention my family LOVES soup? They would be happy if I made it every single day. This is a great lentil soup. I used "red" lentils but you could easily make this with regular lentils. I loved this soup! It was such a yummy combination of flavors with the cumin, coriander, and tomatoes. My boys loved it, too, which is always a plus. I love making soups with lentils because they are so good for you and so quick! In just over 20 minutes you can have a delicious, hearty soup ready to eat.

Red Lentil Soup

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, chopped (1 cup)
1 can diced tomatoes (or use fresh to equal about 1 1/2 cups)
1 celery rib, chopped
1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coriander
1 cup dried red lentils
5 1/2 cups water
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes (or you could use chicken broth and water--just make sure you have enough liquids)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a 4-5 quart saucepan over med high heat. Saute onion, stirring, until golden. Add garlic, carrots, tomato, celery, cumin, coriander, and salt and saute 2 minutes. Add lentils, water, and broth and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper as desired, and serve!

**I've been making this a lot lately and have added 5-6 kale leaves, finely shredded, stems removed. I like it even better this way! I've also added1/2 cup millet a couple times and that was really good, too. Just add with the lentils and let it cook for about 20 min. You might have to add a little more water.

Brooke's Curry Chicken and Rice

Here is another one of our family favorites that I made up a few years ago. It's a recipe I tend to forget about but every time I make it the kids go crazy over it! They love it and I love having a different flavor! It can easily be adapted to a vegetarian recipe by leaving out the chicken, sour cream, and cooking with vegetable broth or water instead of chicken broth. We have tried it both ways and love it either way!



Brooke's Curry Chicken and Rice

1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
2-3 chicken breasts
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins (I prefer cranberries)
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted (350 degrees for 6-8 minutes, stir often)
1/2 cup dry lentils
1-2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp. curry (microwave for 30 seconds to release flavor oils)
2 cups frozen peas and carrots
1 cup sour cream, if desired
salt and pepper to taste

Cook brown rice according to package directions. Cook lentils in separate pan according to directions. In a large skillet, sprinkle chicken with enough curry powder to cover. Add water about half way up chicken. Cover and cook about 10 minutes on each side if frozen or until done. Dice and set aside. In same skillet, add chicken broth, frozen peas and carrots, and 1-2 tsp. curry (microwave first). Add cooked rice and cooked lentils, chicken, and craisins. Salt and pepper as needed. Add more chicken broth or water if rice absorbs too much liquid. Add sour cream and serve with toasted almonds on top.