Egyptian Red Lentil Soup

(One Big Table)

Yields 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 tbs plus 1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
7 c vegetable broth (low sodium)
1 3/4 c red lentils
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbs fresh lemon juice
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:
In dutch oven heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 4 min, until soft. Stir in broth and lentils, bring to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes, until the lentils dissolve, adding more broth as needed.

In another small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tsp olive oil over med heat. Add the cumin seed and turmeric and cook about 1 min, until aromatic.

Before serving, stir in spices, cilantro, and lemon juice into the soup. Season with pepper and salt to taste. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Almond Meal Pancakes

Yields 6 four inch pancakes

Ingredients:
1 c almond flour/meal
2 eggs (I sometimes replace 1 egg with enough egg whites to replace an entire egg)
1/4 c water (sparkling if you have)
1/4 tsp salt (I use pink salt)
1 tbs sweetener (I usually use agave, honey or maple syrup)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:
Mix ingredients and cook as you would other pancakes. Pancakes won't bubble on top the same as other pancakes. Flip when bottom is brown.

Peruvian Quinoa Stew

(From Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home)

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 c quinoa
1 c water
2 c chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, sliced/chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 c cubed zucchini
2 c undrained chopped fresh tomatoes
1 c vegetable stock or chicken stock
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
pinch of cayenne
salt to taste
chopped fresh cilantro

Rince the quinoa well. Place it in a pot with the water and cook, covered, on med-low heat for about 15 min, until soft. Set aside.

While the quinoa cooks, in a covered soup pot saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 5 min on med heat. Add the celery and carrots, and continue to cook for 5 min, stirring often. Add the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, and stock. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, coriander, cayenne, and oregano, and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stir the cooked quinoa into the stew and add salt to taste. top with cilantro, if you wish. Serve immediately.

Black Bean Brownies

This is a very simple recipe. I added the cinnamon, vanilla, and coffee to this recipe on my own. This is a good basic recipe that you can play with to make yummy brownies. Some ideas for other variations would be adding fresh mint and maybe some mint extract instead of the flavourings I added. You could also try adding dried ginger or fresh ginger and then some dried fruit instead of the nuts. Have fun!

Ingredients:
1 box brownie mix (I use gluten free)
1 15 ounce can black beans (low sodium)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp Vanilla
1 tbsp instant coffee
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Pour the black beans into a strainer, and rinse them well. Put the beans back in the can and add enough water to cover beans. Put the beans into a food processor and make a black bean puree (they will turn a grayish, brown color and you should only be able to see flecks of the beans). Add plain brownie box mix to black bean puree and stir until combined and smooth. Add your nuts now if desired, or sprinkle them on top before cooking. Pour into lightly oiled 8 X 8 baking pan. Bake brownies according to package directions. I find I usually need to add a bit more cooking time. Just cook them until you can insert a toothpick or knife into the center of the brownies and it comes out clean.

Super Moist Meat Loaf

Yields 6 servings. (I would say there are actually about 12-18 servings, this makes a really large log.)

Ingredients:
3 Tbs Olive Oil
1 1/2 c finely chopped onions
1 c chicken stock (low fat, low sodium)
1 c scottish oats
1 lb ground lamb (lean)
1/2 lb ground beef (lean)
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp garam masala
pinch of cayenne
salt to taste
1 egg
(Other spices you might use if you want to mix it up a bit. nutmeg, parsley, dill, mace)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes or until softened. Set aside to cool.

Combine stock and oatmeal and set aside to allow oatmeal to absorb some of the liquid.

Combine ground meat, cooked onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary, pepper, and cayenne. Season well with salt. Add oatmeal mixture and egg and mix gently until it comes together. Fry a little piece to taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Place mixture on an oiled baking sheet and use your hands to shape it into a fat sausage-shaped mound, about 2 inches tall and 4 1/2 inches across. Baste with whiskey sauce before baking and then every 10 or so minutes if you want to use it. Bake for 45 minutes or until the meatloaf registers 155 degrees F (juices should run clear). Turn on the broiler and broil for 2 minutes or until slightly browned.

Whiskey Sauce (optional)
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/2 parts Balsamic vinegar
1 part whiskey
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp minced rosemary
1 tbsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Mix everything together.

Update on me!

So I thought I would give another update, my doctors are happy with where I am at now with my cholesterol etc, however in the process of all of this, one of my doctors has told me to stop eating wheat, cut down on carbs and eat more protien. : / This has made eating healthy a bit more difficult, but I am up for the challenge! I have been finding some really tasty ways to stay on my diet and still have great tasting food.