Split Pea Soup

When time is an issue, soups really are the way to go. It takes very little effort to make a large pot and then you have a bunch of meals taken care of! I know a lot of people who regularly prepare a huge batch of their favorite soup to enjoy for lunches or dinners throughout a busy working week.

Soup is also healthy and I swear it gets tastier as the week goes on. And if you don't want to eat the same soup over and over? No problem! Make a big batch anyway and freeze it in portions. You never know when it might come in handy as a quick meal.

Split pea is a soup that my mom used to make for us, but for some reason, I have never really made myself. I have no idea why. I absolutely love it. If it is the "soup of the day" at a restaurant, I will usually order it. I even found that you can buy pretty good tasting ones in tetra packs in the super market. That being said, it is so easy to make, there isn't any reason why I shouldn't just be making it. 

Split Red Lentil & Zucchini Curry (or Soup)

So, I hate to say it, but with temperatures cooling down and the rain falling non-stop, it's starting to feel like summer is over. The last couple of weeks of rain, I was really in denial, hoping that this was just a blip in the weather map. I was praying that it would soon pass and give way to an extended dry and warm summer season like last year, which lasted into October. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case this year.

As a result, I found myself whipping up a quick lentil and zucchini curry, still taking advantage of the bountiful squash harvest from my garden of course, but creating some warmer flavors, comforting as we head into (gulp) fall...

Stuffed Summer Squash (Ground Beef, Lentil & Brown Rice Stuffing)

One of the greatest things about summer are the farmer's markets. Today I walked down to one and as always, found an amazing selection of seasonal and local summer fruits and vegetables. blueberries, raspberries, cherries, beets, potatoes... but what really caught my eye were the beautiful round summer squash.

I have lots of squash bursting out of my garden these days, but none that are this shape. So of course, I had to get some!! 

An Indian Feast: Paneer, Pea & Eggplant Curry

There is something so comforting about Indian food. Especially when it's cold and rainy outside. The warmth of the spices and the heat from the chili just seem to sooth the soul.

This curry is quickly made even though the depth of flavours make it seem that it has cooked for hours. The added bonus is that Indian curries seem to benefit from a little age, so making it in advance or making extra to get you through the rainy weeks is well worth it!

This particular curry is vegetarian, and you do not miss the meat at all when you bite into the creamy Indian cheese (paneer). Heavy on taste, this Indian curry is a must have for those cold winter nights. Eat it over rice, with warm naan bread (or both!). I also served this with some Indian lentils.

Red Lentil, Split Pea and Coconut Curry with Kale

I don't know what it is, but I often feel that a meal isn't a meal unless it has some kind of meat. I could make the best salad in the world and eat a ton of it, and still feel a little bit dissatisfied (and guilty for feeling dissatisfied).

Then I realized that it isn't really the meat. It's the protein that satisfies me. So I have started to add walnuts to my salads. And to be honest, just that little change makes a huge difference (plus, they give a great crunch). Totally satisfying.

This got me thinking. What other meals do I love with meat? Well, for starters, I love curries. I love duck curry, chicken curry, fish curry, you name it. But for some reason, I always feel a little bit guilty about eating curries because of their richness, with the coconut milk and duck (my favorite). So, that's it. Curry became the perfect candidate for a food makeover! The goal? Maintain it's warm and spicy flavors but turn it into an everyday, guilt- free but satisfying meal. And I was able to do that with split lentils and peas.

Potato Parathas (Indian Flat Bread)

I think Indian food has to be one of my absolute favorites. The flavors are so warm, earthy and pungent. It is definitely one of the cuisines that I crave the most because of its distinctive qualities.

However, sometimes it is difficult for me to find good Indian food in restaurants, and I find that I am often disappointed. So, I have taken to making it myself. I was blessed to have visited India and tasted the cooking of a true Indian household, and am always trying to replicate these flavors at home.

And I have found a way to fit it into my work-life schedule. I mean, after all, the rumour on the street is that Indian food takes time to cook. Yes, it is true that some low and slow cooking is required, but this can be overcome with either a pressure cooker (which I have never used), or a weekend cook up. During these weekend cook ups, I make a bunch of dahl (indian lentil curry), pre portion it, and place it in my fridge and freezer for many meals to come! The best part is that it tastes better and better as the time passes.

So what is better with Indian curry than fresh Indian flat bread? And I am telling you, this is the easiest, quickest, tastiest flat bread that you will ever make!

Enjoy it with:

Quick & Easy Chicken Curry, 

Indian Style Fish Curry,  

Sweet Potato & Two Pea Curry 

or my absolute, all time favorite dish,  

Dahl Makhani (Creamy Indian Lentils).

Potato Parathas (Indian Flat Bread)

Recipe modified slighty from Bal Arneson, The Spice Goddess

 Makes 6-8 Parathas

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 to 1 cup Water

1 cup Mashed Potatoes, room temperature

1/4 cup Red Onion, minced

1 tbsp Whole Mustard Seeds

1 tbsp Garam Masala (I made my own by using the ingredients below)

2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

For Garam Masala:

1 tbsp Ground Cumin

1 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander

1 1/2 tsp Ground Cardamom

1 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Combine the flour and water in a bowl and knead until it forms a smooth round ball similar to a stiff pizza dough. Cover the dough and set aside.

Put the mashed potatoes, red onion, mustard seeds, garam masala, cilantro, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well.

Take a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll it into a disc with your fingers. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and using a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll out the disc into a thin patty (like a tortilla).

Place 1/4 cup of the filling into the middle of the patty and then fold the edge of the dough over the mixture and form into a ball, with the filling in the center. Roll out the paratha gently, being careful not to squeeze the filling out.

Put a nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and place a paratha into it. Cook until brown bubbly spots appear and then flip the paratha and cook the second side until it is done, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and brush with a little vegetable oil.

Continue until all the parathas are done.

Surprisingly Delicious Lentil Cookies

One of my favorite things to do is to watch cooking shows. So it is no surprise that while at the gym, my headset is plugged in and I am watching the food network. Yup, there I am, sweating away while watching some great chefs make amazing food. I have had more than one person look at me with confusion, I have had a couple people working out next to me become fixated on the images flashing across my screen, and I have even had some flat out comments like "how can you watch that while you are working out?" or "Why are you tempting yourself?"

And my answer? I just love it. It is not a bad thing to have a good relationship with food. In fact, it's healthy. Perhaps if we just indulge ourselves watching it, food would not always be on our minds as a negative thing, causing unnecessary binges and guilt.

Anyway, I have a great relationship with food, and food network is my workout buddy. In fact, I do my best thinking while working out. Today, however, a great recipe was just handed to me. No thinking required. The Spice Goddess came on TV and made lentil cookies.

Seriously? Lentil Cookies? Could they be any good? With barely any flour, how would they stick together? My curiosity was peaked and I just had to make them immediately.

 

I did very slightly alter the recipe by substituting 1/2 cup mashed banana for some of the butter and adjusting the quantities of sugar and chocolate chips. But other than that, I kept the recipe pretty much the same.

The result? TO DIE FOR!!! No joke. They were delicious, moist, hearty but not super dense as I imagined. Just fantastic. And my husband could not stop eating them! They are perhaps the best cookies I have had in a long time and I would love you to try them and let me know if you feel the same...

Surprisingly Delicious Lentil Cookies

Slightly modified from the Spice Goddess' Recipe (Bal Arneson)

Makes 24 cookies

1/2 cup Margarine (or Butter), room temperature

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Banana, extremely ripe and mashed

1 cup Cooked Green Lentils, crushed with a fork

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Old Fashioned Oats

1 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 cup Slivered Almonds

1 cup Pumpkin Seeds

3/4 cup Mini Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, cream together the margarine and brown sugar. Blend in the mashed banana, the crushed lentils, the egg, and the vanilla. Add the flour, oats and baking soda and stir until everything is combined. Fold in the almonds, seeds and chocolate chips.

Drop the cookies by the spoonful onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten. Bake the cookies for 15 to 18 minutes and allow to cool on a baking rack.

Hearty Lentil and Kale Soup

Usually when I think of Lentil Soup, I think of my blended, middle eastern style Cumin Scented Lentil Soup. However, seeing that I am currently blender-less (yes, we are still waiting for our furniture and stuff to arrive in our new scantly-furnished-yet-functional apartment), I wanted to find an easy lentil soup recipe with the same heart warming qualities as mine but didn't require a blender.

Yes, given I could have made my lentil soup recipe and left it chunky, but I guess it was also the opportunity to try something new in the lentil soup realm. So, I stumbled upon this recipe for Lentil and Kale Soup in a book by Ellie Krieger (yes, I did modify it a little). It was delicious and completely different from my soup, but comforting just the same.

Also, after making this recipe, I realized that it could be make more soupy with the addition of more broth, or it could be made almost dry, then squeezed with lemon juice and topped with fresh lemon zest at the last minute and served as a side dish!

Anyway, it was healthy, hearty and delicious and I would easily make this recipe again for a quick meal or side dish. Oh, and the flavors do get better with age so make a lot and take it for lunch all week!

Hearty Lentil and Kale Soup

Recipe modified by Ellie Krieger's Book "So Easy"

Serves 6

1 tbsp Canola Oil

1 Medium Onion, chopped

2 Carrots, chopped

3 Celery Stalks, chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 cups Dry Green Lentils

2 tsp Italian Herbs

1 tsp Salt

14 cups Chicken Broth

6 cups Kale, chopped

1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tbsp Lemon Zest

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the veggies just start to soften. Add the lentils, herbs, salt and chicken broth. Bring up to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the kale. Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender. Add more broth as necessary. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Enjoy!

Lentil & Chick Pea Salad with Dried Cherries and Creamy Lemon Yogurt Dressing

I pride myself in a well stocked pantry. I could say it's because I like to be prepared for a natural disaster, but in fact, it's because I like to be prepared for whatever culinary adventure strikes me at any given moment.

Of course, there's the dried stuff.... the pasta, rice noodles, egg noodles, rice, couscous, cornmeal, oatmeal, bulgar, lentils, chickpeas, and other beans and pulses. Oh, and don't forget the flours and sugars. Then there is the canned stuff... the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk.  Then, the essential sauces and oils. I mean, I like to make most things myself, so I am not referring to add and toss pasta sauce or meat sauces, I am talking about seasoning sauces like worchesterchire, tobasco, soy sauce, hoisin, oyster sauce, sesame oil, truffle oil, vinegars, etc.

Oh, and don't even get me started on the spices!  That would take hours.

But then there are times when it is necessary to do a "pantry clearout." Those are the times when I feel up for a challenge, or when my husband and I finalize a move to a different country and we realize we have far too much stuff in our pantry. So, for some number of weeks, or months (yes, it can take me THAT long to clear all the stuff in my pantry), we survive on what we have, plus the essential fresh stuff that we allow ourselves to buy.

And let me tell you... dishes can get mighty creative! So, here is one of them. A salad made from beans, dried fruit, and other stuff.

Oh, and as a note, I used dried lentils and chick peas rather than canned. I find that the texture of dried is far nuttier than canned and that each individual pulse stands up to being tossed in dressing and never gets that mushy texture. That is why I prefer to take the time and cook my own.

Lentil & Chick Pea Salad with Dried Cherries and Creamy Lemon Yogurt Dressing

Makes loads

2 cups Chick Peas, cooked

3 cups Lentils, cooked

3/4 cup Dried Cherries

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

For the Dressing

Zest and Juice of 2 Lemons

1/2 cup Yogurt

1/2 cup Olive Oil

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

Salt and Pepper

In a jar or container with tight fitting lid, add add dressing ingredients. Place on lid and shake, shake, shake!!

Then, in a large bowl, toss together chick peas, lentils and dried cherries. (Everything can be done ahead up to this point).

When you are ready to serve, pour the dressing over the chick peas mixture and toss. Then stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Warm Lentil “Salad” with Lardons, Peas, and Egg

Salad? Is this really a salad? I have no idea. But the original idea was. The idea was to cool the lentils then toss in the lardon mixture and top with the egg to make a warm dish, but, in the end, I was so hungry that I tossed everything together and ate it hot. And it was really really good.

The saltiness of the lardons, the crunch of the lightly cooked fresh peas, the runny egg yolk… the combination was amazing.

Fresh Peas?? Well, I used fresh peas because they gave a kind of bitter sweet crunch when they were just barely cooked. It added a nice contrast to this dish. Of course, if all you have is frozen peas, by all means, use them, but toss them in at the very end.

Warm Lentil “Salad” with Lardons, Peas, and Egg

Serves 4

1 cup Uncooked Lentils (about 4 cups cooked)

1 1/2 liters Water

1 Large Onion

3 cloves Garlic

1 cup Lardons (or sliced thick cut bacon, or pancetta)

1 cup Fresh Green Peas

Salt and Pepper to taste

Olive Oil

4 Eggs

Put lentils in a large pot, and cover with about 1 1/2 liters of water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 30-45 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.

In a large pan, add about 1 tbsp of olive oil and the lardons. Cook until the fat of the lardons starts of melt and they start to brown. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions soften. Add the green peas and cook for about 1 minute. Then toss in the lentils. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the eggs sunny side up (in a hot pan, add a little olive oil, crack the egg into the pan, salt and pepper the egg, and cook until the white is cooked but the yolk is still soft).

Spoon the lentil mixture onto a plate, top with the sunny side up egg, and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Dahl Makhani- Creamy Indian Lentils

This creamy Indian lentil dish is absolutely irresistible. In fact, in my opinion, this is the best variety of dahl EVER! It’s creamy, slightly spicy, and full of flavor, and the ingredients are simple and accessible.

Just one small problem… the restaurant version can be extremely rich, creamy and buttery. I guess it’s not really a problem, but you definitely couldn’t eat it everyday… and dahl is actually supposed to be an Indian staple food. Well, let me tell you, if I ate this dahl everyday, I would be happy, but probably not so healthy.

So, in my version, I lightened it up so you actually can eat it everyday and not feel guilty at all. All of the great flavors are retained while keeping this lentil dish easy on the waistline.

Dahl Makhani

Makes about 6 cups

1 cup Black Lentils-Dry (about 4 cups cooked)

1 tsp Canola Oil

1 tbsp Garlic, minced

1 tbsp Ginger, minced

2 Large Onions, small diced

2 Large Tomatoes, small diced

2 tbsp Chili powder (moderately spicy…adjust as desired)

2 tbsp Tomato Paste

1 can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups Chicken Stock

1/4 cup Full Cream Milk

2 tbsp Butter

6 Cloves Garlic, cut into quarters

Soak the lentils overnight, then cover with water and simmer for about 45 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

In a large pan, heat the oil. Add the garlic, ginger, and onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, chili, and tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the kidney beans, the cooked lentils, and the chicken stock. Bring up to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the milk. Season with salt to taste.

In a separate pan, melt the butter with the garlic cloves. Cook the butter and garlic on a low heat until the butter just starts to brown. Then pour the garlic and butter into the lentil mixture and stir to combine.

Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. This lentil dish is great served with rice, flat bread or just eaten by itself! Enjoy!

Cumin Scented Lentil Soup with Country Bread Croutons

Today was not a good day. Period. What more can I say?

And when I arrived home, I needed something warm and comforting. Something familiar. So I reached into my freezer, and took out some homemade lentil soup. Already reserved for a day like this.

Everyone has days like this. Or days when it's cold or rainy outside and all you want to do is to stay at home, snuggle under a blanket, and watch movies. Or days when you are having company over, and you need an easy starter or a light lunch. Or days when you have a cold and want something that will make you feel better. Or maybe you just want to stock up the freezer in preparation for days like this (or for days when you don't have time to cook). It could even just be the end of the month and you are runny out of money. But hey, everyone needs to eat!

For all these occasions, this is the perfect recipe. Cumin Scented Lentil Soup.

Sounds kinda exotic? Don't be intimidated. Everything is easily within reach, in any grocery store anywhere in the world.

Sounds time consuming? Not at all! This recipe is so so easy. Just sweat off the veggies, add the lentils and stock, and let it cook away. Blend and serve. Could not be easier.

Think your guests might not like it? Think again! Everytime I make this recipe, my guests adore it! My husband asks me to freeze it, my friends ask for the recipe. In fact, I am making this soup and posting this recipe today to share it with my friends, who have been begging since they tried it.

So, get over any fears that you might have, and try this soup. It’s worth it! I am sure that once you try it, the ingredients will become staples in your pantry, and you will keep some in the freezer for those days when you just don't have the time.

Cumin Scented Lentil Soup with Country Bread CroutonsServes 6-8

1 tbsp Oil
2 cup Onions, Cut into chunks
1 cup Carrots, Cut into chunks
1 cup Celery, Cut into Chunks
1 Bay Leaf
2 tbsp + 1 tsp Ground Cumin
2 cups Green Lentils, Rinsed and checked for stones
2 liters of Veggie or Chicken Broth
1 tsp Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Bread Croutons
Lemon wedges

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, and cumin and cook until just starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add bay leaf, lentils and broth. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.

Once lentils are cooked, remove bay leaf. Blend the soup either using a hand blender, or pouring the soup into a blender (be very careful as the soup is hot. If using a blender, work in batches, only filling the blender container halfway each time). Soup should be a thick liquid consistency. If too thick, add a little more broth. Add the remaining 1 tsp of cumin and salt. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Serve herbed bread croutons with lemon wedges for squeezing in before eating.

To freeze, let soup cool, then place in freezer proof containers or bags and freeze. Reheat over stove or in microwave


Herbed Bread Croutons
Slices of Country Bread
Herbs de Provence or any mixed dried herbs (Italian seasoning, or mix of basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano)
Olive Oil
Sea Salt

Slice country bread. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with herbs and salt.

Bake in oven until toasted. Enjoy in slices or cut into chunks for soup.