Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta with Lentil Putenesca

To my surprise, I have not gained any weight through this Holiday Season! Despite the fact that I've been to several parties with food a plenty and everyone at work brings in boxes and tins of goodies into work every day for weeks now, I've managed to not put on a pound! ........ *Oooooo's and Awwwww's inserted here.
Truthfully, I don't feel as good as I normally do which probably has to do with the occasional snacking on sweets and that I've been insanely busy and haven't been exercising regularly. I am however really being good about still making good, healthy home made foods most every day.

Breakfast: Either my Simple Chilled Gazpacho, Keifer smoothie w flax, berries and orange peel or a scrambled egg with veggies.

Lunch: Salad, salad, salad. Eat your veggies. I have a variety of salads with a small amount of lean meat.
I've been taught to eat a small amount of meat at lunch time and NOT at dinner. Meat takes several hours to digest and IMO your body shouldn't be working to digest a bunch of meat while your immobile and sleeping. Also, beans and legumes as well as potatoes actually promote a restful sleep.

Dinner:  A Light Vegetarian meal. Sometimes I add Chicken broth to things for flavour and nutrients, but mostly we eat vegetarian for dinner. Beans, lentils, brown rice, whole grains and of course, veggies! I have lots of simple recipes as examples on my blog. Click "What's For Dinner" picture on my right hand side bar.

This Lentil Puttenesca is one of my favorite simple and healthy dinners.

I can not believe I have never had Putenesca. It was one of those dishes that when you taste for the first time, you don't know how you ever lived without it. It is so simple to make too.

I always have a bag of soft sun-dried tomatoes as well as cans of anchovy fillets in the pantry for adding flavour to simple dishes. Anchovies are one of those foods that I never thought I would I would eat. Ever. I love fish but Anchovies always grossed me out. My uber healthy mom eats them straight out of the can and to make matters worse, for breakfast even!

*gag! 

In her defense, they are very good for you. An excellent source of essential Omega's which promote vascular and mental health.

 I do however love anchovies as a flavour enhancer in pastas and dressings.  This was actually a surprise discovery when we went to a wonderful Italian restaurant in Downtown Phoenix called Pasta Bar. I ordered some pasta dish and loved it so I asked the chef what was the wonderful taste I couldn't figure out. To my surprise, Anchovy was one of them! Now I'm hooked.

I came up with this simple Lentil Puttenesca recipe and you MUST try it, even if your an anchovy hater from way back! Trust me, would I lie to you?

TIME  15 MINUTES     SERVES 6

You Will Need: For Polenta

3 cups unsweetened Almond Milk ( can use reg. milk or water)

1/2 t Kosher salt

1 cup Polenta (corn grits)

1-2 T butter

1/4 cup Parmesan

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped


Directions:
In large pot over high heat, bring almond milk and salt to boil. Gradually stir in cornmeal and sun dried tomatoes. Reduce heat to simmer, cook 12-18 minutes or until very thick. Stir frequently with long handled spoon to avoid sputters.
When very thick, remove from heat and stir in butter and Parmesan. Pour into a buttered 9x9 casserole dish. Let it sit off heat for about 10-15 minutes to set, will be creamy.

TIME   40 MINUTES     SERVES 6 
For Lentil Putenesca:
 
1 cup mixed lentils
 
1 cup water or broth
 
1/4 cup olive oil


1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

6 cloves minced garlic

2 (28-ounce) cans Roma plum tomatoes, chopped, with juice

1 cup  pitted and sliced green olives (other olives will work as well)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons minced anchovy fillets (about 8 fillets)

1 teaspoon dried crushed basil

1-2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes



Directions:

Rinse lentils thoroughly under cool water. Preferably, soak lentils for 6-8 hours before cooking to reduce phytic acids.
In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and lightly caramelized, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the water, tomatoes and the remaining ingredients and simmer until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, about 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning, to taste, cover and set aside.

Serve with Creamy Sun-Dried Polenta.

PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!

 
 

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Grilled Rosemary Salmon over Lentils Rustico

Thank goodness all of my kids love salmon. It is one of my favorite foods in the world. I just have to tell you before I loose some of you to my Health and Nutritional info, that the addition of the Sun Dried Tomatoes in this dish was extrordinary!!!  The tomatoes in combination with the lemon and herbs, OH MY! You must try this, it's NOT just another lentil dish.  Not only is salmon super yummy, but I'm sure you've heard how good it is for you too. Salmon is very low in fat and has tons of Omega-3's, an essential fatty acid very important to heart and peripheral vascular health! 

When choosing salmon, make sure you get Wild Salmon, ie. Alaskan or Canadian and NOT Farmed salmon, ie. "Fresh Atlantic".  Not only are farmed fish much more susceptible to diseases from living in cramped conditions, they are fed a diet of grains and fillers not natural to them which alters their chemical makeup. Wild salmon are higher in protein and have a natural healthy balance of Omega-3's to Omega-6's.
Also, farmed raised salmon have very high levels of PBC's, a chemical which is well known to cause cancer.

Ingredients


 1 1/2 c dried  lentils


1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil; divided 


1 Sweet (vidallia) Onion; chopped 


3 Cloves garlic; finely diced


2 teaspoons Ground cumin


1 teaspoon Hot red chili flakes  ( I sprinkle on at the end so the kids don't get any)


1 Carrot,  finely diced 


1 stalk celery, finely diced


4 Roma Tomatoes, diced


1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped


2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


1/4 c Chopped fresh parsley 


1/2 teaspoon Pepper 


Salt to taste


1 1/2 lb Fresh Alaskan salmon fillet; skin on


1 ts Chopped fresh rosemary 






 Putting it all together:




 Firsts, peel and smash garlic with the back of a large knife, let it sit for at least 10 minutes so it
releases the * allicin.


Rinse lentils thoroughly. Place in large bowl and soak in cool water for 10 minutes. Place lentils in a large pot with a pinch of sea salt and cover generously with water. Bring to boil and cook gently for about 20 minutes, until just tender. Don't overcook or you'll have lentil soup. Drain well, reserving some liquid to add to combined dish if too dry.


Meanwhile, heat 3 teaspoons oil in large cast iron pot and add onion. Cook gently for 3 minutes. Mince garlic and add to onion. Add cumin and hot pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds. Add carrot, celery and both dried and fresh tomatoes to skillet. Cook until carrots are just tender, and liquid from tomatoes has reduced. Add drained lentils, parsley, pepper and salt to skillet. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Keep warm.


Brush a second grill pan with remaining 1 tsp  oil. Sprinkle salmon with chopped rosemary. Cook for 1-2 minutes, skin side UP, or until slightly browned and crusty. Transfer salmon to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or leave in skillet if it is oven proof). Bake in preheated 400F/200C oven for 7 to 9 minutes, or until just cooked through. It's easy to overcook salmon. Salmon should be just barely pink on the inside when pulled apart with a fork. If you overcook it, it will be dry and tasteless.
Serve salmon on bed of lentils.

PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

* I like to provide some important health or nutritional information about

 just 1 Super Food/Ingredient/Spice on most of my posts. I hope you take the time to glance

at them throughout my blog, I try to keep it short and to the point.

HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT ALLICIN

What Is Allicin?

Garlic is not merely a tasty ingredient to add to your favorite Italian dishes. Since ancient times, garlic has been recognized by many diverse civilizations for its variety of medicinal properties. The Egyptian and Roman labourers used garlic in their diet to enhance their physical endurance and in the 20th century, garlic was used to fight against the global influenza pandemic (i.e. flu) of the time.

Today, more than 5,000 scientific publications from all over the world have gradually confirmed the traditionally recognized health benefits of garlic, which include acting as an antibiotic as well as other health advantages like its anti-cholesterol and anti-hypertensive benefits.

Did you know that allicin is effective against fatal infections such as tuberculosis and MRSA?

Allicin is the most powerful medicinal compound derived from garlic and provides the greatest reputed health benefits.

Allicin does not occur in "ordinary" garlic, it is produced when garlic is finely chopped or crushed. The finer the chopping and the more intensive the crushing, the more allicin is generated and the stronger the medicinal effect.

Allicin starts to degrade immediately after it is produced, so its medical effectiveness decreases over time. Cooking speeds up this degradation and microwaving appears to destroy allicin totally and eliminate any health benefits. 
***  So you should either add garlic to your meals RAW, or only cook for 1-2 minutes!

So for the most powerful medicinal effect, crush a little raw garlic and combine with the cooked food shortly before serving. **Don't overdo it - too much can produce irritation of and possibly even damage to the digestive tract. Remember too that raw, crushed garlic also has the most powerful flavour!

Some information found at:Allicin Facts
  Garlic Central

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Pumpkin, Chickpea and Red Lentil Stew {slow cooker}

We have to create our own sense of Fall here in Phoenix. Sadly, it's still in the upper 90's most of the day, cooling down to a brisk 85F by dinner time. *sighhh

No worries. Flavors of the season can still make me feel like it's actually Fall outdoors and if I close my eyes and breath in deeply, inhaling the scents of pumpkin, and spices coming from the kitchen I can almost imagine the oranges, yellows and reds of changing leaves.

Then I open my eyes, look out the window and remember cacti don't have leaves. Oh well. Bring on the stew!

This was the first of many delicious, full of flavor comforting autumn foods we will enjoy this season.
It did in fact have more broth than the picture showed but I must not have put enough in this bowl. I love slow cooker meals as they are a life saver during the busy school and work weekdays. With 4 kids we have practices, cub scouts and dance lessons most every evening. It's so nice to walk in the door to a hot, home made dinner we can all sit down to together.

Is there anything better than slow cooked pumpkin in mild spices? The ginger was amazing in this and I think I will add a bit more next time, maybe a pinch of cinnamon too. This dish is full of good for you protein and is a very filling dinner. The kids all loved it!

Makes: 6 servings

Prep 25 minutesCook 8 hrs to 10 hrs  (low) or 4-5 hours (high)

ingredients

• 1                     pound pie pumpkin or winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1
  1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans),  soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
• 3
  medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1
  cup chopped onion (1 large)
• 1
  cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 2
  tablespoons tomato paste
• 1
  tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1
  tablespoon lime juice
• 1
  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4
  teaspoon salt
• 1/2
  teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4
  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4
  cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4
  cup chopped peanuts
• 2
  tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 
  
• Plain nonfat yogurt (optional)
• 
  

directions

1.In a 3-1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, combine pumpkin, chickpeas, carrots, onion, lentils, tomato paste, ginger, lime juice, cumin, salt, turmeric, and pepper. Pour broth over all in cooker.

2.Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Top each serving with peanuts, cilantro, and if desired, yogurt. Makes 6 (1-1/3 cup) servings.

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Whole Grain Dijon Mustard Salmon Filets on a CousCous-Lentil Medley

The salmon fillets steam right on top of this flavorful couscous and lentil medley saving you time and the extra heat from the oven. It's crazy simple and takes about 20 minutes total but the fresh herbs, shallots, white wine and whole grain Dijon mustard will make it look like you slaved in the kitchen for an hour.  Shhhhh, our little secret.

Is it completely insane to want to buy a new car instead of cleaning it after spending 3 whole days camping in the mud with 3 kids, a 65 pound dog and a husband very at one with nature, muddy mess and all?  Oh, and to  never  want to go camping again unless there's a 5 star camper involved, preferably and Airstream this one. Or perhaps this beauty.  Then again, red is my color and this vintage red Airstream is all kinds of pretty.








I could get very, very comfortable here.

and here. no mud.

and this Airstream camper kitchen........ no roughing it involved.

Love.

Because honestly, tee pees are awesome and all but I'm willing to step it up a notch when it comes to comfort. Let's be real.

Back to dinner.



Skillet couscous and lentil medley with steamed mustardy salmon. Trust me. It's amazing.

Let's not make a fuss over dinner shall we? A bit of sautéing, a splash of white wine for deglazing and     a shmear (yes shmear) of whole grain, Dijon mustard atop salmon fillets and simply let it steam away for a very satisfying in so many ways dinner.

I tend to be a tad...  overdramatic  when it comes to good food.

Let's be clear. Fresh herbs make a dish shine as does a splash of wine. I like to balance out my meals with  complementing  flavors. What does that mean?  Whole grain Dijon mustard on the salmon pairs beautifully with the white wine used to deglaze and simmer down with the couscous. Carrots add just a touch of natural sweetness to the lentils in this dish and shallots contribute a very subtle yet significant contribution to temperamental dishes such as salmon.

You Will Need

4 small salmon fillets
3 tablespoons whole grain, Dijon mustard
1/4 cup dry, white wine such as a Chardonnay
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous medley {a mixture of couscous, green and pink lentils and daikon radishes if you can find them}
2 cups chicken broth
1 large carrot, diced
1 shallot, sliced
5 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnish if you please



In a large saute pan heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and carrots and sauté for 3-5 minutes stirring once or twice. Add couscous medley and toss to coat for 2 minutes. Slowly pour in white wine while stirring to deglaze pan. Let wine cook down for just one minute. Slowly pour in broth while stirring. Let the mixture come to a gentle boil then reduce heat to low.

Brush salmon fillets with mustard. Place salmon fillets on top of couscous. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes till salmon is just done.

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7-Bean and Basmati Cheesy Croquettes

One way to get plenty of whole grains, beans and legumes into your diet is by turning leftover beans and rice into cheesy croquettes. Have your kids help you pick out bean and lentils in the bulk section of your store. Go for mixes with lots of different beans and lentils, it's a great way to try new things and oh-so healthy!

I made this super simple 7 bean and lentil "casserole" in my pressure cooker. I lightly sauteed the green pepper & onion then simply added the bean mix, brown basmati rice and broth and cooked on the 2nd ring for 10 minutes. I love the time savings with my pressure cooker!

Just make sure you rinse then soak your beans and rice separately, beans for at least 3 hours and up 10 hours, rice for 20 minutes. This is really important to remove starch, reduce gas and remove phytic acid which can cause mineral deficiencies due to it's zinc and iron blocking effects.

This is the starch still in the water after thourougly rinsing and on it's 2nd soak.

* Health Tip

Phytic acid in grains, nuts, seeds and beans represents a serious problem in our diets. This problem exists because we have lost touch with our ancestral heritage of food preparation. Thanks to the recent trend of raw and unprocessed “whole foods;” more people are consuming a lot of high-phytate foods like commercial whole wheat bread and all-bran breakfast cereals. But while raw may be good for most veggies and fruits, raw is definitely not Nature’s way for grains, nuts, seeds and beans. . . and even some tubers, like yams; nor are quick cooking or rapid heat processes like extrusion.

Diets high in phytic acid can also cause a calcium deficiency since the body has to excrete more of this important mineral to metabolise the phytic acid. Phytic acid not only grabs on to or chelates important minerals, but also inhibits enzymes that we need to digest our food, including pepsin, needed for the breakdown of proteins in the stomach, and amylase, needed for the breakdown of starch into sugar. Trypsin, needed for protein digestion in the small intestine, is also inhibited by phytates.

Read more about this here.

Bored with Beans? Turn them into croquettes!

Ingredients

1 cup 5 Bean mix
1 cup Brown Basmati Rice
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 cup Yellow Onion, diced
1/2 cup diced, Italian stewed tomatoes
2 teaspoons Italian herb mix
3 cups water or broth
1 teaspoon each, salt and pepper

Dinner ~ Night One:
Place All ingredients into a Pressure Cooker ( can also use a slow cooker). Cover and bring pressure to 2nd red ring. Lower heat to med-low to maintain pressure. Set timer for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, let pressure come down naturally ( about 3 -4 minutes). Serve with fresh fruit and greens salad with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
* Healthy Tip: serving Brown or Whole grain rice along with beans or legumes is
considered a complete protein. Eat Raw veggies and/or fruits before your meal to help
with digestion and control hunger.


Dinner Night Two: I usually make Seafood so as not to have beans 2 night in a row.

Dinner Night Tree: Bean and Basmati Cheesey Croquettes
You Will Need:
2 cups of leftover beans and rice dinner
1/2 cup shredded cheddar, Monterrey jack or mozzarella.
For the bread crumb coating:
1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese
.
1/2 cup home made bread crumbs ( make extra and store in fridge or freezer for quick use)
1 tablespoon mixed herb seasoning of choice ( I like Trader Joe's 21 season salute)
toss to coat

Putting it all together:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into small balls with hands. Carefully roll balls into breadcrumb mixture. Place on very lightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 400F degrees for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
Simple huh?

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Lentil Burgers with Smoked Gouda

This is a family fav! So easy too, I promise. Not only are these really tasty but so good for you! We make these often, all of my kids love them. Remember to serve with a bit of brown rice or a grain to make this a complete protein meal! Also a simple green salad really compliments this dish. Try it, you'll love them.

A bit of nutritional info on lentils:

Dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas are low in fat and good sources of protein, starch, fiber, iron, calcium and minerals.

Insoluble fiber speeds up the passage of food through the intestine and helps in improving regularity. Insoluble fiber is believed to have a role in the prevention of colon cancer. Lentils contain mostly insoluble fiber, while beans and peas contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.

Lentils are rich in the Vitamin B, folic acid. Folic acid is important at the time of conception and after conception by women and low amounts of folic acid could put the fetus at risk of Neural Tube Defects.

Lentils are an excellent source of potassium which contributes to a regular heart beat, regulates transfer of nutrients to cells, controls water balance and helps regulate blood pressure.

Lentils are good sources of B Vitamins; niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid and pyridoxine, necessary for healthy brain and nerve cells, for normal functioning of the skin, nerves and digestive system in the chemical reactions of the amino acids and proteins.

Lentils are good sources of vegetable protein which must be combined with a complementary protein to become a complete protein containing the nine essential amino acids. Beans and Lentils, when combined with nuts, seeds, brown rice or grains fulfill the requirement of a complete protein. Protein is required by the body for enzymes, antibodies, transport vehicles, cellular pumps, tendons, ligaments, scars, cores of bone and teeth, filaments of hair, materials of nails and more.

LENTIL BURGERS

2/3 cup dry lentils
1-1/2 c water

1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 c grated carrots
3 slices bread, crumbled in coffee grinder or food processor
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 t sea salt
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t leaf oregano, crumbled
3 T butter, ghee, or coconut oil
smoked Gouda or smoked cheddar, sliced



Putting it all together:

Wash lentils; add water and bring to boil. Lower heat & simmer 15 minutes covered. Add onion & carrots. Cook 15 minutes longer. Drain, reserving liquid, & cool.
Stir crumbs, eggs, & seasonings into lentil mixture. Add some of the reserved liquid, if needed, to hold the burger together better.
Melt butter in skillet. Drop lentil mixture by rounded one-third cupfuls into hot butter. Flatten & cook until brown on one side. Flip, top with slice of cheese, and continue cooking until brown on the other side. Place on cookie sheet & keep warm in low oven until all patties are cooked.

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