curried lentils

I love lentils, because they're high in protein, easy to make, and I can eat the leftovers for a full week!
Oh, and did I mention they're delicious too?

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic diced
• 1 Tbl. curry powder
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. cumin

• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup dried lentils rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes drained
• 4 cups water

1. In a large skillet, sauté the chopped onion in a little olive oil, until the onion is soft
2. Throw in the diced garlic, and cook it with the onion for about 1 more minute
3. Stir in all the spices- the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, salt, chili powder & cinnamon & give it a good stir so the onion & garlic mixture is coated
4. Add in the rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes, 4 cups of water, and let the entire concoction simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, and most of the water has been absorbed
5. When the lentils are soft, season it to your liking, serve it up & then gobble it down :)

happy holidays 2012

'Tis the season for a ridiculous holiday card from the roommate & I :)

May your holiday season and new year be full of love, joy & brains.
Happy holidays, everyone! 

southwest tofu scramble

Whenever my family is looking for a healthy hearty brunch option, we often make a tofu scramble- loaded with protein & veggies, you won't even miss the eggs

Ingredients:

• 1 block firm tofu- drained & pressed
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 soy chorizo sausage- chopped
• Any vegetables you have in your kitchen- chopped

• 1 Tbs. cumin
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• a dash of salt & pepper
• 1 tsp. Tabasco hot sauce (optional)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1.While the tofu is being squeezed, chop up the vegetables you have on hand- for example, we used onion, carrot, broccoli, red bell pepper & mushrooms, since that's what we found in the fridge
2. In a skillet, heat the olive oil & sauté the chorizo about 1 minute
3. Add all the chopped vegetables to the skillet & sauté until tender
4. Crumble the tofu with your fingers into the pan & season with all the spices & Tabasco
5. When the mixture is seasoned to your liking, sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top & let it get a bit melty before plating it up!

 Serve with a side of salsa & your mom's favorite, generic, frozen hash brown patty- yumm! :)

overnight apple raisin chia seeds

It might look strange, but chia seeds make a completely delicious, protein-packed breakfast on the go

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. chia seeds
• 1/2 cup rice milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 Tbs. raisins
• 1/4 apple diced
• a drizzle of honey

1. Measure out all your ingredients
2. Place everything except the honey into a mason jar or glass bowl, give it a good stir & let it sit over night
3. In the morning, top the mixture with a drizzle of honey & gobble it down with a spoon!

spaghetti squash

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy seasonal gourds & spaghetti squash is one of the best!

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• your favorite pasta sauce
• parmesan cheese (optional)

1. While your oven is preheating to 400° F, slice the squash in half & scrape out the seeds
2. When the oven reaches temperature, place the squash cut-side down in a glass baking dish & fill it with about 1/4" water
3. Bake the squash for 40 minutes, or until it's soft enough that you can easily insert a fork into the rind
4. When the squash is ready, remove from the oven & use a fork to scrape away the cooked squash, which will fall away into noodle-like strands
5. Top with your favorite sauce & a little bit of parmesan cheese- dig in! :)

pumpkin seeds 2 ways

carving pumpkins is awesome and all, but let's not forget how delicious their seeds are too!

         
      For Salty:                                                                             For Sweet:            

• pumpkin seeds
• sea salt
• ground pepper (optional)

• pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. cinnamon
• 1/2 Tbs. nutmeg
• 1/2 Tbs. pumpkin pie spice

1. After carving your pumpkin, separate the seeds from the rest of the pumpkin goo
2. While the oven is heating up to 400° F, rinse the seeds off under water & pat them dry
3. Spread the seeds on a baking sheet, toss well with your desired seasoning & place them in the hot oven
4. After 10 minutes, check on your seeds- give them a toss with a little more salt or sweet, and pop them back in the oven again
5. After another 10 minutes take out the seeds & give them a taste. If you like your seeds crispier, bake them a little longer, until they're the perfect golden brown.

A tasty, healthy snack to balance out all the candy you're gobbling down right now. Happy Halloween! :)

almost raw zucchini noodles

Looking for a super-healthy, gluten-free way to enjoy pasta? Try these almost-raw zucchini noodles!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 1 Tbs. olive oil

• 1 small tomato diced
• Your favorite pasta sauce

1. Take your zucchini & use a vegetable peeler, mandoline, or julienne peeler to slice the entire squash into long, thin strips
2. Put the garlic and olive oil in a skillet & heat it up over medium heat
3. When the garlic is cooking, throw your zucchini "noodles" into the pan and toss them in the oil until they're heated through
4. Top the noodles with your favorite pasta sauce & some fresh tomato for garnish. Tonight I used my homemade pesto, but a marinara or vodka sauce would be darn tasty too. Yum! :)