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Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Mexican Lentils | Lettuce Wap


Have I told you lately how much I love Mexican food? No? Because I do. If I had to pick one style of food to eat for the rest of my life, it'd most likely be Mexican. 

So a lot of my recipes are Mexican-inspired. Like this one. 

These lentils are super easy to make (and OMG delicious) and can be used in virtually any Mexican-style dish: nachos, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, wraps (as seen below), stuffed peppers, salads, a party dip, etc.

Whip 'em up and let me see what you come up with! :)

gluten free vegetarian vegan mexican lentil wrap

Ingredients:
1/2 C dry lentils
2 C water
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t chili powder
1/4 t cumin
1/2 onion, chopped
1/3 C prepared salsa (I use Pace)
salt 
oil for sautéing

Method:
1. Prepare your lentils by adding them to a pot with the water and spices (including a few sprinkles of salt). Bring to boil, then reduce heat and cover. Allow to simmer for 25 minutes, until nice and soft. Drain most of the liquid.
2. Sauté your onions in a little oil.
3. Combine prepared lentils, onion, and salsa to pan and cook over low heat until most of the liquid is gone.
4. Use for quesadillas, tacos, wraps, burritos, anything you like! Enjoy!


vegetarian gluten free vegan mexican lentil wrap recipe


* These wraps were made with a leaf of iceberg lettuce, Tofutti sour cream, and taco sauce. 

Thursday, May 22, 2014

BBQ + Bacon White Bean Burger



Ingredients:
1 can Great Northern Beans, drained and well rinsed
1/3 medium sized onion, roughly chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 scallion, roughly chopped
1/2 t minced garlic 
2 T oats (quick oats or regular)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 T bacon bits **
~ 1/4 t chili powder
dashes of salt and cayenne pepper
oil for sautéing and cooking patties
your choice of BBQ sauce

Serve with:
your favorite cheese (dairy or vegan), buns, lettuce, onion, and all your favorite burger fixin's :)



Directions:
1. Saute onion, pepper, and scallion with garlic in oil over medium heat until well cooked.
2. Put 1/3 of beans in a medium sized mixing bowl. Put remaining 2/3 of beans into food processor.
3. Once veggies are done cooking, add them to the food processor along with the oats. Pulse the mixture until there is a bit of doughy consistency--not completely liquid, but only some small chunks.
4. Pour processed mixture into bowl with the remaining beans. Mix in the rice, bacon bits, and spices.
5. Once well mixed, heat a bit of oil over medium in a large frying pan.
6. Use your hands to form 4 or 5 patties from bean mixture. Place them in pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Flip patties and push them down to help flatten them out. Continue to cook and flip patties until both sides are a nice, golden brown color.
7. Put patties on desired buns with your favorite burger add-ons, then smother in BBQ sauce. Enjoy!

** It's pretty easy to find bacon bits that are vegan and gluten free. You can add more to the recipe if you want a more bacony flavor.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Chickpea + Potato Curry

Some nights call for curry and tonight was one of those nights. This recipe is super easy and not at all complicated. It's one that you can put on the stove pretty quickly and do other things as it cooks--a necessary trait for parents! It's also great for people who aren't too confident in their cooking abilities because it really is simple! 

chickpea potato curryI like to make a big batch of rice or quinoa and store it in the fridge for the week. This curry can easily be prepared ahead of time or right before serving, so you can just pour it over leftover rice and have a pretty delicious meal without requiring a ton of time. 

Ingredients:
½ medium onion, diced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into small, bite-sized pieces
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed well
1 can light coconut milk
1 t oil
1 t minced garlic
1 1/2 t curry
1/8 t cayenne
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t salt



Method:
1. Saute the diced onion and minced garlic in the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 
2. As the onion is cooking, peel and chop your potatoes. 
3. Once the onion is translucent, add remaining ingredients. Mix well.
4. Lower heat and cover. Stir occasionally. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender. 
5. Once potatoes are done, remove cover and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes until it thickens. Serve over rice or quinoa. 

chickpea potato curry
Notes:
  • You can substitute the potatoes for your favorite veggies and serve over baked potatoes instead!
  • If you want to speed up the process, boil the potatoes in a separate pot of water for a few minutes, then drain well and add to the pan with the rest of the ingredients.