Week 53: Spicy Lentil Tacos

I've said it before: I could ALMOST be a vegetarian if I wanted to. That's not to say that I can't appreciate a good steak, or a juicy grilled chicken breast, but I don't NEED those things. What I could NOT do without, however, is ground beef. Hamburgers. Tacos. Etc. These lentil tacos proved to me that I don't need ground beef in my tacos at all. The lentil mixture was a GREAT substitute. After this recipe, and the black bean burgers from a couple of weeks ago, I feel I could go on living a happy life if all the world's cows were to suddenly perish.

As you may have notices, I am VERY hesitant to give recipes the full five stars. The only one that has acheived that feat so far is the taco soup. When eating my taco, I asked myself, "Would I rather be eating anything else right now? Do I miss the meat? Is there something I could change/add that would make this better?" The answer to all questions was a resounding "NO!" So here we go: another pretty-dang-near-perfect recipe. (Have you picked up on a pattern? I LOVE my Mexican food...)

Year of Yum Rating: 5 STARS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon canola oil (we used olive)
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup salsa (Margarita's Hot Salsa is the only way to go. Do it.)
12 taco shells (we used flour tortillas instead)
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
6 tablespoons fat free sour cream (Anything less than "lite" is borderline gross.)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large nonstick skillet, saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Uncover; cook for 6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly.


2. Stir in salsa. Spoon about 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream.


The only salsa I would even consider using: Margarita's Hot Salsa.

Week 52: Avocado Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

As I typed the title, I realized that this post marks 52 weeks of cooking. Fifty-two weeks as in a year. A year of yum.

Initially, the idea of this project was to cook a new, step-outside-of my box, and gain-cooking-skills-in-the-process recipe. I wanted to be comfortable in the kitchen, and I wanted to be confident that I had enough know-how go in the kitchen to make dinner, and not have to have a back-up plan in case it didn't turn out.

I think I have gained a lot over that year (give or take a few busy weeks that we might have needed to take a break). I have practice with a few stand-by techniques that don't intimidate me anymore in recipes. I have tried new foods that I never knew I liked before. I have learned that I almost ALWAYS underestimate how long it will take me to cook something. I have gained a greater appreciation for where food comes from, and I have given myself permission to spend a little more money on quality and organic ingredients (I would also like to thank Jillian Michaels and Food Inc. for that revelation.)

In this year I have moved from a tiny apartment kitchen, to a spacious, beautiful kitchen in the house that I bought. I have gotten to spend countless hours in the kitchen with my lovely friend, Abigail. I have gotten quite the reputation at school for bringing new, interesting dishes for lunch.

Abby and I are going continue our food adventure, and we'll see where it takes us. We've discussed beginning this next year with some sort of theme, but for now, just look for things that we have most likely found ourselves drooling over in a cooking blog or magazine.

Today's recipe was courtesy of Smitten Kitchen. It was a fun, summery, light salad recipe, and I really enjoyed the Asian flavor. It was also really easy to make, despite the fact that I've never cooked with fresh ginger or miso before. I'm excited to show off these leftovers at lunch tomorrow!

Year of Yum Rating: 4 STARS

INGREDIENTS
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sweet white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
1/4 cup grapeseed or another neutral oil
2 tablespoons water

1 small/medium head of lettuce (I used Bibb) or mixed greens of your choice
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, quartered



Whiz the carrots, shallot and ginger in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, then add the miso, vinegar and sesame oil. While the machine running, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water.

Divide the lettuce among four bowls, add some of the onion and a quarter of the avocado. Drizzle with plenty of dressing and serve.

Whiz the carrots, shallot and ginger in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, then add the miso, vinegar and sesame oil. While the machine running, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water.

Divide the lettuce among four bowls, add some of the onion and a quarter of the avocado. Drizzle with plenty of dressing and serve.

Week 51: Black Bean Burgers

I've made "veggie burgers" before, but I enjoyed these way more than any others that I've made. I think that cooking them on the grill gave them a really great flavor. When I put it on the bun with all the fixings, I didn't even miss the meat.

One of my favorite things about this recipe was that you could use some of the reserved black bean mixture to make enchiladas later in the week. I would like to find more recipes that are two stages like that.

Year of Yum Rating: 4 1/2 STARS

INGREDIENTS
1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup bread crumbs (we used seasoned)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 hamburger rolls
*We also added 1/2 a jalapeno for more flavor

DIRECTIONS
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-low heat.

In a food processor, pulse onion, jalapeno, and garlic until finely chopped. Add 1 can black beans, cilantro, parsley, egg, and red pepper flakes and pulse to combine.

Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, add the remaining can of black beans and the bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and mix until well combined.

Reserve 1/3 of the black bean mixture for Round 2 Recipe. Divide remaining mixture into 4 portions and form into patties. Place on hot oiled grill over medium-low heat and cook about 6 minutes a side or until heated through. Toast hamburger buns on a grill. Place a burger on the bottom of each bun. Top with lettuce, tomato and ketchup. Cover the burgers with the top of the bun and serve.

Use the leftovers from this recipe in Black Bean Enchiladas.

Week 50: Cool Asian Noodles With Tofu, Cashews, and Sesame Vinaigrette

Abby commented that she was looking for a cool-me-down recipe since her classroom has been really hot in the afternoons. This cold pasta dish...almost an Asian pasta salad...fit the bill. We DID make a few minor adjustments.

We used tempeh instead of tofu. This was kind of by mistake, but it was yummy anyway. We just steamed the tempeh according the the package directions, crumbled it in a bowl, and threw it in the bowl with the oils, lime juice, and salt so it could soak up all the yumminess. Through a little research I learned that tempeh is actually healthier than tofu. Since it's less processed, it has more protein and fiber than tofu.

We used roasted peanuts instead of roasted cashews, just out of personal preference.

We cut our carrots a little bigger than "shredded" which turned out to be just dandy.

We also decided that we might use whole wheat pasta if we made this again, and were actually buying spaghetti from the store rather than using what was already around the house.

Year of Yum Rating: 3 1/2 STARS

INGREDIENTS
5 ounces spaghetti (about a 1/3 of a box)
1 carrot, shredded
1 Kirby cucumber, cut into ¼-inch pieces
4 ounces firm tofu, cut into cubes
¼ cup chopped roasted cashews
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
kosher salt

DIRECTIONS
1.Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and run under cold water to cool.
2.In a large bowl, toss the pasta, carrot, cucumber, tofu, cashews, oils, lime juice, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
3.Divide the salad between 2 containers and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Week 49: Grilled Cheese with Apples and Broccoli Soup

I already love grilled cheese, but adding the tartness of Granny Smith apples to the sandwich made it that much yummier! I originally had wanted to make parsnip soup to go with our sandwiches, but I had a little parsnip drama, so I found a broccoli soup recipe instead. I wanted a soup recipe that was a little lighter, and less creamy. It got its creaminess from a potato.

Year of Yum Rating: 4 1/2 STARS for the Sandwich, and 3 1/2 STARS for the soup

INGREDIENTS

Sandwich:
bread of your choice
cheddar cheese
Granny Smith apple
butter

Soup:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
4 cups fresh broccoli, including stems, chopped
2 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil on medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Gently sauté onion and celery for 3-4 minutes, until onion is softened. Add potato and chopped broccoli, followed by the broth and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Allow soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender in 2-3 batches, and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat gently until ready to serve. In the meantime, make your delicious sandwiches.

Week 48: Ground Beef Pitas

Abby got this recipe from "Real Simple" magazine. I was thrilled at this choice, because I have been craving red meat (hamburger specifically) like nobody's business. Mixed with the Mediterranean flavors, it was delish.

My only complaint is that it was a little dry. We thought maybe we should have heated the pitas up before we assembled them. Also, the meat might have been a little on the dry side, but we wanted to make sure it was cooked all the way through.

YOUR complaint, on the other hand, will be this: I have no pictures. I forgot my camera when I went to Abby's house yesterday. The new plan was to take pictures of leftovers, but I forgot to bring my camera to school today also! Something that you also might find offensive is the fact that I don't have the EXACT recipe to share with you, so I'm just going to tell you what I remember.

Whoa, I'm a mess.

For more (read: better) information, visit the original recipe on the Real Simple website.

Year of Yum Rating: 4 STARS

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ground beef
hummus
pitas
red onion
flat leaf parsley
olive oil
salt
pepper
dried oregano

DIRECTIONS
1) Make 16-ish little, baby patties with the ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
2) Cook those little guys in a pan over medium/medium-high heat, a couple of minutes each side, probably.
3) Spread hummus on your pita. As much as your little heart desires.
4) Fill with red onion, parsley, and your cute little beef patties.
5) Eat it.

Brilliant, I know. I should write cookbook.

Week 47: Quinoa Cakes with Spinach and Goat Cheese

I found this recipe on the "Barefoot Kitchen" blog as a good way to use leftover quinoa. I didn't have any leftover, but still really wanted to try this recipe. Quinoa, spinach, and goat cheese are all things I really enjoy anyway, but the idea of frying them all three together just about blew my mind.

We ate them on a bed of fresh spinach, and we concocted a yogurt dipping sauce to go with them. Abby and I pretty much just threw random spices into plain Greek yogurt until we were satisfied with the flavor.

Overall, these were good, but it was hard for me to justify making already-delicious quinoa, and making it greasy and unhealthy. I would probably try it again, but as a special treat only!

Year of Yum Rating: 3 STARS

INGREDIENTS

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked quinoa
4 ounces goat cheese
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
olive oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
1. Wash and chop the spinach, pat dry. Mince the garlic. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet. Cook the garlic until lightly browned, about a minute, then add the spinach. Cover, and cook until wilted. Set aside and let cool.

2. In a small saucepan, mix the quinoa and the goat cheese over low heat (to help melt the cheese). Remove from heat when well combined.




3. Chop the cooked spinach finely, mix with the quinoa and goat cheese. Beat the egg and mix in until everything is combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Heat a layer of olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Form the quinoa into 2″ patties about 1/2 inch thick. Drop into the oil and cook until well browned on one side, 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, then set on paper towels to drain.







Abby's leftovers, in a neatly-crafted duck container...