Lentil Salad with Tomatoes and Gorgonzola

It's finally spring here in Michigan. Yesterday was lovely, and today is looking like it's going to be even better. Unfortunately I'm working this weekend, but hopefully I'll get out in time to enjoy a little of the beautiful sunshine. During the winter and early spring, before any spring produce has hit the farmer's market, my quick meal repertoire is full of grains, legumes and roasted veggies. I never get tired of any combination of these things. There are endless possibilities, different combinations of these various components as well as different spices, sauces, and other add-ins. It's really almost impossible to go wrong. Some might turn out a little better than others, but I'm always happy with the end result.

I usually just find myself throwing a bunch of things together depending on what's in my fridge at the moment. For this recipe however, I actually did follow a recipe from the cookbook Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi with just a few minor adaptations. I love his recipes and so wanted to actually follow one of them fairly closely to see his magic at work. I find that when I just do my own thing I can get stuck in a rut of the same flavor combinations, or at least very similar combinations of ingredients. Deferring to someone else from time to time can help inspire me to try out something new.

I kept this recipe pretty true to the original. I didn't have chives so used green onion instead. Added a bit of lemon zest at the very end to perk things up a bit, add a little brightness. I also used pomegranate vinegar instead of balsamic vinegar because I don't have any balsamic right now. This is a light and fresh salad; delicious, simple, healthy. Really exactly what I love. The sweetness of the tomatoes pairs perfectly with the creamy Gorgonzola and sharpness of the red onion. All the herbs really amp up the flavor adding even more freshness.

There are endless variations are possible on this basic theme. I would keep the tomatoes, onions and obviously the lentils, but could change up the cheese to anything nice and creamy, and can swap out the herbs for your favorite herb or whatever you have on hand. Add some spices, sauce, more roasted veggies. To really make it a filling meal you could add some chicken, or tofu on top depending on your preference. It could all go on top of a bed of greens as well to bulk it up and turn into more of a green salad. All wonderful, and I'm sure delicious, ideas.

Lentil Salad with Tomatoes and Gorgonzola
Adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
Ingredients
Oven-dried tomatoes:

• 3 plum tomatoes
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate or balsamic vinegar
• salt

Salad:

• 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup (120 grams) French lentils
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, crush
• black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill
• 1 1/2 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
• lemon zest (optional)

Directions
To make the oven-dried tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Quarter the tomatoes vertically and place skin-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Arrange the thyme sprigs on top of them. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with some salt. Roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until semi-dried. Discard the thyme and allow to cool slightly. 

Meanwhile, place the red onion in a medium bowl, pour over the vinegar and sprinkle with the sea salt. Stir, then leave for a few minutes so the onion softens a big. 

Place the lentils in a pan of boiling water (the water should come 1 1/4 inches above the lentils) and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Drain well in a sieve and, while still warm, add to the sliced onion. Also add the olive oi, garlic and some black pepper. Stir to mix and leave aside to cool down. Once cool, add the herbs and gently mix together. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

To serve, pile up the lentils on a large plate or bowl, integrating the Gorgonzola and tomatoes as you build up the pile. Drizzle the tomato cooking juices on top and serve. 
 

Carrot and Lentil Salad with Chickpeas and Feta

We had a potluck at work this past week which always gets me excited. The instant I hear about a potluck my mind goes into overdrive coming up with different options for what I might take. The first question is always, should I bring something savory or something sweet? My mind was filled with cupcakes, cookies, whoopie pies and macaroons, cinnamon rolls and brownies, but in the end I went with something savory this time. Since you never know what's going to show up at a potluck, it's always a good idea to bring something that you really like and wouldn't mind eating for lunch if the rest of the options are less than stellar. 

After a lot of thinking I decided to go with a lentil salad. Healthy, easy, and perfect to make ahead. In fact, this type of salad is actually better made ahead so it has time to sit overnight and let the flavors meld. A mix of both lentils and chickpeas sounded perfect along with some lightly roasted carrots, finished with feta and lots of lemon and herbs. Light and fresh and delicious. A definite winner and something to make again and again! 

For the carrots, I used my new gadget that I got for Christmas, a spiralizer! I have been eying them for so long, and this year my sister-in-law gave me one and it's been a lot of fun experimenting with. It was quick and easy to slice these carrots up into thin ribbons. I then roasted them for a short time to soften them up a bit, but not too long so that they started falling apart. It worked out really well for this salad. If you don't have a spiralizer you could either slice the carrots into thin matchsticks by hand, or do what I would do in that case and cut them into chunks and just roast for a lot longer until nice and tender. This would also work well in this salad. 

Don't skimp on the lemon and parsley, they're both key to a well balanced and fresh final product. It would be a little flat without them. And the feta, oh the feta, I could could add feta to just about everything I eat and be happy. It really makes this salad, and turns it into a full meal. Enjoy!

Carrot and Lentil Salad with Chickpeas and Feta
From Delectably Mine
Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 grams) dried chickpeas
• 1 cup (180 grams) dried green lentils
• 4 large carrots, spiralized 
• 1 green onion, sliced thin
• 1/4 red onion, sliced thin
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 1-2 teaspoons honey
• 4 ounces feta cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Directions: 
Cook both the lentils and the chickpeas in boiling water until tender. Drain and place in a large bowl.

While the legumes are cooking, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the carrots with a little olive oil and salt and roast for approximately 15 minutes until tender, yet still retain some bite and texture. Add the carrots to the bowl with the chickpeas and lentils. Add the green onion, red onion, lemon juice and lemon zest. Give everything a quick toss to combine. 

Preheat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and swirl around the pan. Add the garlic and let it cook for a minute or two until just starting to take on a little color. Watch it closely so it does not burn. Add the spices to the garlic oil and let them toast for 30-60 seconds until nice and fragrant. Remove pan from heat. 

Pour the oil and spice mixture over the salad, add the honey, and toss until everything is well combined. Let the salad cool slightly and then finish with the feta and parsley, tossing once again to combine everything. Can eat warm or at room temperature. The flavors improve as they sit so this is a good dish to make the night before and pull out of the fridge when ready. Let come to room temperature before eating. 

 

Baked Lentil Falafel

Quick. Easy. Healthy. Delicious. Those are all words I like to hear, especially when it comes to prepping meals for a busy week at work. These baked lentil falafel fit the bill perfectly. Now, I know, since they're baked, not fried, and made out of lentils, not chickpeas or fava beans, they really aren't falafel. But humor me here. It's the easiest way to describe these little patties. They have a little heat from a jalapeno, some spice with the cumin and coriander, and freshness from the herbs.  Throw it all in the food processor,  and process away! Shape, bake, eat, repeat. It's that easy! 

The original recipe for these little bites was just 5 or so ingredients long. A great base recipe from which you can improvise to your hearts content. I added a few extra flavorings because I couldn't help myself, but you can keep it simple if you like. I used my favorite seasonings of cumin and coriander, along with cilantro, parsley and mint. Probably my favorite combination of flavors, but try adding your own favorite spices and see what happens. I ate mine the first day on a chickpea flour wrap with garlicky kale and tahini. Yum! But I've also made sandwiches, topped salads, and dipped these little guys into yogurt for a quick snack. Go ahead, try something new!

Baked Lentil Falafel
Adapted from Pinch of Yum
Ingredients

• 2 cups (320-340 grams) cooked lentils*
• 1 cup cilantro
• 1 cup parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh mint (optional)
• half a jalapeño, leave the ribs and seeds if you like it spicy
• 1 green onion, coarsely chopped
• 1-1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander
• 1-2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pulse all ingredients except flour in a food processor until combined. Stir in the flour - just one tablespoon at a time, until it's just dry enough to handle. Form into 10 or so patties and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove sheet from the oven and carefully flip each patty over. Return to oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Use however you would like; in salads, sandwiches, wraps, bowls, etc. They also freeze great, so you can whip up a batch and keep on hand for  a quick meal any time. 

*I was using up the rest of the lentils I had in the pantry. The dry weight was 140 grams which ended up being 340 grams cooked. When I weighed out 2 cups it was 320 grams, but I only had an additional 20 grams of lentils so I just threw them in too! So it doesn't need to be exact. 

Spicy Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup

It's squash season at the farmer's market and grocery store, I just wanted to let you know in case you've missed the giant piles of butternut, spaghetti, acorn, delicata, hubbard and other squashes that seem to have taken over everywhere produce is to be found. I don't know about you, but I never tire of delicious winter squash, never. I love the sweet and creaminess of this extremely versatile vegetable. You can eat it on it's own, sweet or savory, you can add it to salads, soups, stews, chili, pasta, or you can add the mashed flesh to baked goods, smoothies, oatmeal...the list just goes on and on.

I have been baking up squashes left and right over the past couple of weeks. I love having already cooked squash sitting in the fridge, ready for whatever I feel like making. One of my recent creations was this delicious soup. With a couple of cups of cooked butternut squash hanging out in the fridge and some red lentils that have been trying to make an appearance for some time now, I knew a simple soup was just the thing. The perfect thing to sit down to on a cool autumn afternoon.

The inspiration for this soup was a recipe I found on Food52 for a sweet potato red lentil soup. I took the idea and made it my own, substituting butternut squash for the sweet potato and a chipotle pepper for the harissa since I didn't have any harissa on hand. For the spices, I just threw in a mix of some of my favorites such as cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, you get the idea. I didn't measure them. When you're making a quick soup for yourself on a chilly day there's no need to measure or worry about exactly which spices to add. Just pick some of your favorites, add in whatever seems like a good amount and go from there. It's not an exact science, that's what makes cooking so fun, it turns out different every time, but always tasty!

Spicy Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup
Heavily Adapted from Food 52
Ingredients

• 1/4 onion, sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 small carrots, chopped
• 1 small chipotle chili
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1-2 cups cooked, cubed butternut squash
• A few shakes each of your favorites spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, etc.)
• Cilantro, for garnish

Directions
Heat a small amount of oil in a small saucepan. Once hot, add the onion and saute for 5-10 min, until translucent and just starting to color. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, a minute or two. Then add the carrot and enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, let cook over medium heat, covered, until carrot begins to soften. Then add chipotle, stock, lentils, butternut squash and spices. 

Cook until everything is soft and cooked through, 20-30 minutes, adding water as needed to reach your desired consistency. Transfer soup to blender and blend until smooth. Return blended soup to pan. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth.) Add water more water if needed. Taste for seasoning and serve, garnishing with cilantro if desired. 

Yields: 2-3 servings

Red Lentils and Spinach in Masala Sauce

It's been a cold and rainy weekend here so far - fall has definitely arrived. With the falling temperatures and the cloudy skies I have been craving warm and comforting foods. This recipe for red lentils in a masala sauce fits the bill perfectly. Tender red lentils in a thick and spicy tomato sauce finished off with spinach, cilantro and coconut milk. This may not be your traditional fall dish, but why not give something new a try. It's healthy and delicious, perfect for curling up on the couch with and listening to the rain falling. 

I had to adjust the original recipe to fit the ingredients I had on hand and it turned out deliciously. It's not a difficult dish at all. Once you mix up your spice mixture all you need to do is sauté some onions and garlic, add the spices followed by tomatoes and lentils and cook until the flavors have melded and the lentils are tender. Red lentils tend to turn to mush when cooked, but for this recipe you keep an eye on them and finish the dish before they completely disintegrate. Finished it off with a few handfuls of spinach and some creamy and delicious coconut milk. Spoon into a bowl over rice, or eat on it's own like a stew. It's filling and satisfying in whatever form you choose.

Red Lentils and Spinach in Masala Sauce
Adapted from Naturally Ella
Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garam marsala
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1⁄3 cup packed cilantro leaves ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 14 ounce can whole (or diced) tomatoes
• 1/2 can full fat, unsweetened full fat coconut milk
• 1 cup (~190 grams) red lentils
• 3-4 handfuls spinach 

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, paprika, garam marsala and salt. Set aside.

In a large skillet or sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent and just beginning to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in the spice mixture and stir to coat the onions. Add the tomato paste and stir again to evenly mix. Cook for a few minutes to heat the spices and tomato paste, then add in the tomatoes and coconut milk. Stir together and bring to a boil. 

Add in lentils and cilantro leaves and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring often (they tend to stick to the bottom of the pan), until lentils are tender, 20-­25 minutes. Fold in spinach and then remove the pan from heat.

Garnish with more cilantro, and a dollop of Greek yogurt. 

Chana Dal Lentil Soup

I woke this morning and checked the old temperature gauge (aka my phone) to discover it was a balmy -6° Fahrenheit, not the windchill, the actual temperature (the windchill was a lovely -20°). In these kinds of conditions I crave something warm and hearty, simple yet filling and flavorful. This recipe was the first time I've tried chana dal. I spent some time researching exactly what chana dal is, and to be honest I'm still a little confused as to whether it is split lentils or split chickpeas or something else. Whatever the case, it is some kind of dried pulse or legume. If anyone has a good explanation of what dal is please let me know, I'd love a good definition. 

Regardless of what exactly dal is, this recipe is simple and filling. Dal cooked with tomatoes, onions and various spices. and finished with cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It doesn't get much easier than this, and it is so healthy. If you are looking for something hearty and warming this winter that's a little different than the norm, give this recipe a try. A thick slice of hearty bread on the side to mop up all the extra juice is the only other thing you need to finish off this delicious meal. 

All this recipe really requires of you is a little time. Chop a few vegetables, throw them into a pan with the lentils and a few spices and let it all cook away for an hour or two. When it's finished cooking you just need to add a few garnishes for freshness and a little more flavor. Then plate up and dig in. There is also so much room for innovation and creativity in this dish. Add some extra veggies, some different spices, another herb, whatever you like. In the end, I don't think you will be disappointed. 

Chana Dal Lentil Soup

From 

The Spice Spoon

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp corn or any other neutral oil
• ½ small onion sliced thinly
• 3 small tomatoes, blanched, skins removed and diced
• 1 tsp tomato paste (optional)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 tsp salt (or more, to taste)
• ½ tsp red chilli pepper (to taste-or can be omitted altogether if you don’t like spicy soups)
• 1½ litre of boiling water (approximately 6 cups)
• 400g chana lentils (approximately 2 cups)
• 2 1-cm thick slices (a little less than ½-in.) of peeled ginger
• fresh cilantro (or your favourite herb) for garnishing
• paprika or sumac for garnishing (optional)
• olive oil for drizzling
• lemon wedges

Directions

Note: If you soak the lentils in cold water overnight or for an hour prior to cooking, you can reduce the cooking time from 1½ to 1 hour.

Coat bottom of a large pot with oil and place on medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and cook for 30 minutes; checking every 10 minutes. Cook till onions wilt and turn golden.

Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, turmeric, salt and chilli pepper and turn flame to medium-high. Sauté for 2-3 minutes till tomatoes look jammy (i.e., their liquid has reduced).

Add boiling water, lentils and ginger. Reduce heat to low. Stir and cover pot with lid.

Simmer until lentils are tender- test a grain between your thumb and forefinger- about 1½ hour.

Remove and discard the ginger slices.

The proceeding steps are optional; they are for those who want a thicker, soup-like consistency. If you don’t want a soup, but a traditional Pakistani-style Chana Dal, once the lentils are tender, loosen them with a little bit of water till the desired consistency is achieved and taste for salt and red chilli pepper. Serve with fresh, chopped coriander on top.

When lentils have cooled, transfer 1 cup of lentils and process in a blender till smooth and creamy. Loosen with a little bit of water. Pour back into pot. (For those of you who have an immersion blender, you can blend the soup directly in the pot.) Slowly add boiling water to soup till desired consistency is achieved. Taste for salt and red chilli pepper.

Serve with fresh coriander or your favourite herb; a sprinkle of paprika or sumac (optional); a drizzle of very good olive oil and lemon wedges to add tanginess.