Lentil Loaf & Smashed Root Vegetables

Vegan Lentil Loaf (slightly adapted from Amuse Your Bouche, Serves 6, Total Time: 75 minutes)

Ingredient

• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ tsp. curry powder
• ¼ tsp. cayenne chili pepper
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ¾ cup red lentils (based on conversion from grams)
• 4 cups vegetable stock (based on conversion from mL)
• Black pepper
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. dried thyme
• ½ cup rolled oats (based on conversion from grams
• 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat; cook the red onion, garlic and carrot for 5-10 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the next 4 ingredients (the 4 spices), and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the lentils and stock and season well with black pepper and the dried herbs. Simmer for around 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Stir regularly.
3. Add the fresh parsley, and stir in as many oats as you need to bring the mixture to the correct consistency (I actually needed about 1.5 cups of oats). It should be moist, but sturdy enough to hold its shape solidly. Mix well.
4. While the mixture is cooking, preheat the oven to 400°F.
5. Lightly grease a baking dish or loaf tin, and spoon in the lentil mixture. Spread out until smooth.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, and then gently turn out onto a baking tray. If needed, grill (broil) for a few minutes to crisp up the top. Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes, before carefully slicing.

This is delicious! I think it is the best loaf that I have made and my husband liked it too!  The only item that I changed to the above list was using 3 tsp. dried parsley in lieu of 3 Tbsp. fresh.  As noted, I did need a lot more oats than was called for and I was scared that the loaf would dry out while cooking, but it didn’t!  Next time I make it, I plan to use 1 or 1.25 cups of red lentils so that I can cut back on the oats.

The loaf is moist and has a crisp top and ends. I thought it would taste a lot like oatmeal, but it didn’t.  The creamy texture has a mixed taste that combines the veggies, lentils, and the oats, with no single spice or item overpowering it.  I definitely plan on making this again (especially since my taste buds are watering again, and I just had leftovers for lunch).

I served this dish with Smashed Root Vegetables.  I made the root vegetable dish while the loaf was in the oven.

Smashed Root Vegetables (slightly adapted from Woman’s Day, Servings: 8, Total Time: 45 minutes)

Ingredients

• ½ pound(s) parsnips, peeled
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 -inch pieces
• 1 ½ pounds (1 large) rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ pound (about 4) carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil

Directions

1. Quarter the parsnips lengthwise. Cut out and discard the woody centers. Cut the remaining parsnips into 1-inch pieces. Using a piece of kitchen twine, tie the rosemary and parsley together.
2. Place the parsnips, herbs, garlic, potatoes, rutabaga, and carrots in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp. salt, reduce heat, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove and discard the herbs. Reserve ½ cup cooking liquid, drain the vegetables and return them to the pot. drizzle the oil over the vegetables, season with ½ tsp. each salt and pepper and, using the back of a fork or potato masher, smash the vegetables (adding some of the reserved liquid if the vegetables seem dry). Sprinkle with the chives before serving, if desired.

I did not use the fresh herbs, but rather dried (a few dashes each of rosemary and parsley) and left them in the dish after draining (well, as many as stayed on the root veggies).  I should have cut the carrots smaller because they did not mash well, even when I used my handheld mixer. The rutabaga also didn't  mash completely, so there were some chunks of that in each serving.

The flavor of the dish was kind of flat – not bad, but not a wowser either.  My husband was OK with it, but said that it wasn’t worth the time and effort that it took to make it.  (He would rather I made garlic mashed potatoes.)  I did find that adding some extra pepper to the leftovers helps out the dish.

Curried Lentils with Sweet Potato

Curried Lentils with Sweet Potato (slightly adapted from Good Housekeeping, Serves: 6, Total Time: 6 hours, 20 minutes)

Ingredients

·         2 tsp. olive or canola oil

·         1 medium shallot, sliced

·         2 clove(s) garlic, diced

·         1 tsp. ground ginger

·         2 tsp. curry powder

·         1 tsp. ground cumin

·         ¼ tsp. salt

·         1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

·         2 cups dried lentils, rinsed

·         4 cups vegetable broth

·         2 Tbsp. tomato paste

·         5 oz. fresh baby spinach

Directions

1.       In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, curry powder, cumin, and salt. Cook 1 to 3 minutes or until slightly softened, stirring frequently. Transfer to 6- to 7-quart slow cooker bowl.

2.       To slow cooker bowl, add sweet potatoes, then lentils, vegetable broth, and tomato paste.

3.       Cover and cook 6 hours on high or 9 to 10 hours on low, or until lentils are tender. Stir intermittently.

4.       Into slow cooker bowl, stir in baby spinach until spinach is wilted.

My dish definitely did not look like the picture on Good Housekeeping’s website.  My dish was very mushy, and was completely brown with just a bit of green from the spinach – no orange sweet potatoes because they cooked down and mashed in with the lentils.  That’s okay, though, because it was good in the flavor department (just not the presentation one!).  I liked the slight hint of sweetness from the potatoes and ginger.  I had mine with rice the first night, but found it much more convenient to use as a spread on pita bread (or in a tortilla).  It was very creamy in texture and I could taste the curry more than any other seasoning, but that’s OK – I like curry!  I also found that mine only needed maybe 4 hours on high to cook through – I put it down to low and then warm as it continued to cook.  The only change I would make is adding in more vegetable broth.

Red Lentil Curry

Red Lentil Curry (from All Recipes, Servings: 8, Total Time: 40 minutes)

Ingredients

·         2 cups red lentils

·         1 large onion, diced

·         1 Tbsp. canola oil

·         2 Tbsp. curry paste (I used red)

·         1 Tbsp. curry powder

·         1 tsp. ground turmeric

·         1 tsp. ground cumin

·         1 tsp. chili powder

·         1 tsp. salt

·         1 tsp. white sugar

·         1 tsp. minced garlic

·         1 tsp. ginger root, minced

·         1 (14.25 oz.) can tomato puree (I used tomato sauce)

Directions

1.)    Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear (this is very important or the lentils will get "scummy"), put the lentils in a pot with water to cover and simmer covered until lentils tender (add more water if necessary).

2.)    While the lentils are cooking: In a large skillet or saucepan, caramelize the onions in oil.

3.)    While the onions are cooking, combine the curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Mix well.

4.)    When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the onions and cook over a high heat stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.

5.)    Stir in the tomato puree and reduce heat, allow the curry base to simmer until the lentils are ready.

6.)    When the lentils are tender drain them briefly (they should have absorbed most of the water but you don't want the curry to be too sloppy). Mix the curry base into the lentils and serve immediately.

This was another dish that I made for the tasting.  I will start by stating that the original recipe doesn’t tell you how long to cook the lentils.  I believe that mine took about 15 minutes over a medium heat, no extra water was needed.  At first I thought that I overcooked them, but they still tasted good and the other people who tried the dish liked it.  Just keep an eye on them while doing the other steps in the recipe.  This was also my first time working with ginger (FYI – you need to peel it before mincing!).  I think that I did OK on both accounts.

Overall, the recipe is easy to follow and the end result is pretty tasty.  It’s a little light on the taste, but I didn’t want to add any Sriracha because we have to be sensitive to the people who may not like spicy food.  However, on my leftovers, I went Sriracha-happy and it tasted awesome!  The consistency was almost like refried beans, but that worked well on some sandwich thins and pitas.  The curry is not “runny” or “oily” like some other curries that I have eaten or made, so it works really well with bread.  I definitely recommend trying this recipe!  Pretty healthy (calories are fairly low, protein is good) and tasty.

Meatless Tacos

Meatless Tacos (from Better Homes & Gardens, Total Time: 45 minutes, Servings: 8)

Ingredients

·         ½ cup water

·         ¼ cup lentils, rinsed and drained

·         ¼ cup chopped onion

·         8 taco shells (I used soft tacos)

·         1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

·         1 envelope taco seasoning mix

·         8 oz. firm or extra-firm tub-style tofu, drained and finely chopped

·         1 ½ cups shredded lettuce

·         1 medium tomato, chopped

·         ½ cup shredded Mexican taco cheese

·         ½ cup bottled salsa

Directions

1.      In a medium saucepan combine water, lentils, and onion. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed.

2.      Meanwhile, heat taco shells according to package directions.

3.      Stir tomato sauce and taco seasoning mix into lentils. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in tofu; heat through.

4.      Spoon into taco shells. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and salsa.

I liked these tacos a lot – the lentils, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning mix helped to hide the tofu (which is usually a plus when you are serving to non-vegetarians).  A healthy Mexican dish with some protein and a good taste – not too much more I could ask for. My husband was not as big of a fan, probably because he knew there was tofu in it before he ate it.  I say give it a try!  It’s also nice that you can easily increase the spiciness factor by adding some red pepper or hot sauce!

Sicilian Lentil Pasta Sauce

Sicilian Lentil Pasta Sauce (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Servings: 8, Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes)

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry lentils
• 3 cups water
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
• ½ cup water

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and garlic. Cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add lentils and 3 cups water to vegetables. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 45 to 60 minutes.
3. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, and ½ cup water (if needed). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. If necessary, add more water to keep the sauce from sticking. Be careful not to dilute; the sauce should be quite thick.

Neither my husband nor I found this dish to our liking.  There wasn’t much flavor and it needed some cheese, garlic powder, or other Italian seasoning to make it, well, edible.  It does meet my desire for healthy food with the lentils and vegetables, but I don’t like to sacrifice taste one bit.  I don’t think that I will be making this dish again.  I’d rather try out some different recipes.