Red Lentil & Artichoke Stew

Halfway through lunch I realized that I had forgotten to take a picture...



So I pulled out my camera. I thought I could do it. How hard could it be to snap a photo between bites?



Harder than I thought. This soup was too good, I tell ya!

You will have the same reaction, too. This red lentil artichoke stew is definitely where it's at! The biggest surprise? I used NO salt or curry powder, my two favorite condiments! I know, I was a bit skeptical, lol!

I found this soup while searching for ingredients and flavors besides my old standbyes. I wasn’t sure how to pull off Italian with no cheese, and whole grain pasta is wholly unappealing…So, clickety click click, I entered the ingredients I had on hand (red lentils, duh) and those I wanted to play with (artichokes and olives). Ta-da! Red lentil artichoke stew!

Lots of people refer to the Vegan Table for this recipe but I based mine off of this one here.

The Goods
1 cup diced yellow onion
2-3 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup dry red lentils
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes
1-15-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained)
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
black olives, sliced

Saute onions til golden. Add the garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the lentils, bay leaf, lemon juice, tomatoes and tomato liquid, artichoke hearts (and some juice but not all of it), and crushed red pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Add water (or veggie broth) if stew becomes too thick. Remove the bay leaf. Serve alone or over rice or pasta. (I served mine over brown rice that I embellished with bell peppers and onion.)

Savory and simple! Two spoons up!

Give Those Brushes a Swirl!

When Afrobella recently asked her readers how they clean their make up brushes, I realized that for me, it wasn’t a matter of how, but how often! Umm, let’s just say that make up cleaner was one of those things I Lost In The Move.

Well, no time like the present, huh?

Now that I’m (mostly) all natural, I looked up homemade make up cleaner. Below is a youtube link by Kandee Johnson for an extremely easy method. All you need is olive oil and liquid dish soap. (I dabbed my brushes in tea tree oil before washing them with an all natural dishwashing liquid. Tea tree oil’s anti-bacterial properties make it a fantastic disinfectant!)



Easy, huh? My brushes came out cleaner than I expected! I like this method because it’s gentle and made with products I already have in my home.

Coconut Carrot Splash

Without further ado, my favorite summer soup--Coconut Carrot Splash! This soup is frigging delicious--I couldn't wait for lunch this week!



Coconut Carrot Splash is my own creation, the result of forgetting original ingredients and incorporating fringe elements--beets and kale. Personally, I just love beets and carrots together and kale's pungent flavor always reminds me of curries. And I'm trying to get my vitamins!

The Goods
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsps curry powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
1 medium bay leaf
2 cups veggie broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup kale
1/4 of 15 oz can of sliced beets
juice from 1/2 medium lemon
salt

Brown the curry powder in the olive oil.

Then add: onions, broth, carrots, beets, bay leaf and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer about 15 minutes. Add kale or other leafy green and simmer until the greens are wilted, no more than 5 minutes.

In batches, puree the soup in a blender. When it's all blended, add the coconut milk. Add the lemon juice and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve hot or cold, by itself or over rice. Enjoy!

This recipe is inspired by the Curried Carrot Soup at Chow. Try this one if you don't like beets and kale.

Red Lentil Burgers

What’s a busybody’s dream food? RED LENTILS!



Let me tell you, these little things are cheap, versatile, and fast! I make a variety of dishes, from curries to chowders to variations of the traditional lentil soup. Thanks to Poor Girl Eats Well, I’ve discovered red lentil hummus, too! Her recipe is simple and you can easily personalize it. Red lentil hummus has become my go-to snack: I eat it as veggie dip, spread it on crackers, and use it in place of mayo on sandwiches.

But I digress. I got up this morning to tell you about red lentil burgers. Yes, yes, y’all! These are a tasty alternative to the ubiquitous veggie patty and bland black bean burgers.
















Because I buy vegan, my recipe omits eggs. Therefore, I make my patties a little smaller so they will be less crumbly. This recipe yields 8-12 patties. The recipe that inspired my own simpler version is here.

The Goods
¾ cup red lentils
2 ½ cups water
2 cups mushrooms
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery hearts, diced
1 cup onion, diced
3 cloves (ish) garlic
2 cups breadcrumbs

Seasonings (to taste)
Oregano
Salt n pepper
Cayenne pepper
Lemon juice

Bring lentils to a boil. (For more flavor, I prepare my lentils with veggie broth and a bay leaf.) Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain very well and set aside. You may want to use a wire colander because you want the lentils as dry as possible.

Saute the onion, garlic, and cayenne pepper in olive oil. When the onion is translucent, add the other vegetables and all seasonings except the lemon juice. Saute it all til it smells good and the mushrooms are soft but not slimey. Drain excess liquid.

Combine your lentils and veggie mix. Add the lemon juice. Add the breadcrumbs. Adjust seasoning to taste. Then chill the mash in the fridge for 30 minutes. Afterwards, make small patties and brown them on the stove, about 5 minutes each side.

Top with your favorite fixins. I suggest avocado, red bell pepper and hot mustard. Enjoy!

P.S. For all you playful flirts, this recipe is great to make with your date or sweetie!