Curried Lentils and Butternut Squash with Kale

I recently went through the 3-ring binders I have been collecting for 8 or 9 years, that are full of recipes. I would go through magazines and tear out recipes I wanted to try or recipes that I printed off the internet. I won't mention how many of these binders I have collected over the years, but needless to say, when I saw them all together, I was more than embarrassed!

I decided to take a few recipes that I had forgotten about and try them. I found this in Parents magazine and it was supposed to be a side dish for Thanksgiving. The link below has the original recipe, which I didn't really follow. The butternut squash was supposed to be cooked along with the lentils, but I like it better roasted in the oven. And I had some kale that needed to be used, so I sauteed that and made it a bed for the lentils and butternut squash!

Here is the inspiration for this recipe, but I did my own thing

Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

I mentioned a couple of days ago that sweet potatoes are not my favorite thing to eat. Well, this stew almost changed that for me. This stew was spectacular. It really is a simple recipe, but the lentils and veggies just really taste so good together. My 4 year old was really excited to eat this and gave 2 thumbs up for this one. It fits this time of year and tastes great re-warmed the next day.

Here is the recipe for Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

Colorful Lentil Salad with Rainbow Chard

The swiss chard in my garden is still doing really well and I wanted to make something really delicious with the bunch I picked recently. I wanted to use lentils and found a beautiful picture of a dish that combined the 2 ingredients I had been thinking about. I served this on the same night that we had the Panko Crusted Salmon. I think that salmon and lentils really compliment each other and these 2 dishes definitely made for a great dinner. We also had a fennel/celery salad.

If you can't find Pomegranate Molasses anywhere or it is too expensive, don't forget that you can make it yourself- Here is the post when I first made it a couple of years ago.

Here is the recipe for Colorful Lentil Salad
* I didn't use the sundried tomatoes
* I sauteed my swiss chard (stems included) with the onions and bell peppers, adding it after the onions and bell peppers had softened a bit
* I used less olive oil for the dressing and the sauteing
* I used a little bit of red wine vinegar instead of steeping liquid in the dressing

French Lentil and Swiss Chard Risotto

I love growing my own swiss chard. Nothing makes me happier than seeing those beautiful rainbow stalks in my garden. I have been really lucky this spring and summer- all of my chard has been doing great. No bugs, no problems. Usually I just quickly saute it or add it to whatever we happen to be eating. But, when I harvested it about a week ago, there was a ton of it and I wanted to do something bigger and better.

I found this recipe and knew it was perfect because it combines 3 of my most favorite things in the world- swiss chard, risotto, and lentils. I had just made chicken broth the weekend before I made this, so I had some of that on hand to use too. I know lots of people don't like cooking in the summer, but I find it really relaxing after a day of activities and swimming to be able to spend some time in the kitchen, making a delicious dinner. And this was delicious!

Here is the recipe for French Lentil and Swiss Chard Risotto
* I used chicken broth in place of the wine
* I didn't have any radicchio on hand to use as a garnish

Roasted Salmon and Lentils

On the Saturday that my brother was visiting we had all sorts of baseball and softball games and pictures to go to. Then came the rain. It started in the morning and didn't stop. My daughter stood out on the baseball field in the pouring rain for about 10 minutes and then they cancelled the game. The rest of the days games were cancelled as well.

I was already planning to make this dish for dinner on that night, but the rain and thunderstorms made it even more satisfying. I found some French Green lentils at Earthfare- aren't they pretty? The look like pretty little pebbles. And they have a really unique texture and flavor. It is very subtle, but if you look for it, you can taste feel the difference from your normal brown lentils.

The lentils are cooked with the onion, carrot and celery to give some nice flavor and then the veggies are diced and served alongside the lentils. The salmon is roasted and tops off the dish.

We accompanied this with a nice green salad and it was a complete meal. Perfect for a rainy night. Very comforting.



Roasted Salmon and Lentils from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
1 cup lentils du Puy (French green lentils)
1 clove (I omitted this because I didn't have any whole cloves)
1 small onion
1 medium carrot, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 4–6 pieces (I used 2 carrots)
1 celery stalk, trimmed and cut into 4–6 pieces (I used 3 stalks of celery)
1 bay leaf
3½ cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
Salt
1 1¼-pound piece salmon fillet, cut from the thick center portion, skin on, at room temperature
Olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh parsley and/or snipped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

Put the lentils in a strainer, pick through them, and discard any bits of stone that might have escaped the packers; rinse under cold running water.

Turn the lentils into a medium saucepan, cover them with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes; drain the lentils in the strainer. Rinse the lentils again and rinse out the saucepan.

Press the clove into the onion and toss the onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf into the pan. Pour in the broth, stir in the lentils, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a steady simmer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are almost tender. As the lentils cook, skim off the dark foam that rises to the top.

Season with salt and cook until they’re tender, 5 to 10 minutes more.

While the lentils are cooking, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Place a strainer over a large measuring cup and drain the lentils, reserving the broth; set the pan aside. Pick out the vegetables and discard the clove and bay leaf; if you’d like to serve the carrots, celery, and onion with the lentils (I always do, although they are very soft), cut them into very small dice. Rinse out the saucepan.

Put the salmon on the foil-lined baking sheet, rub a little olive oil over the top, and season with salt and pepper. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and roast the salmon for about 12 minutes, or until it is firm on the outside and still pink and just the tiniest bit jiggly at the center (nick the thickest part with a slender knife to test). If the salmon is done before you’ve finished the lentils, cover it lightly with a foil tent and leave it on the counter to rest.

Meanwhile, put ¾ cup of the cooked lentils into a food processor (a mini-processor is fine) or blender and add ½ cup of the reserved broth. Whir for a minute or so, until the lentils are reduced to a puree, then scrape the puree and the remaining cooked lentils back into the saucepan. Pour in another ½ cup broth, add the diced vegetables, if you kept them, and season with salt and pepper as needed. (You can make the lentils to this point and keep them, covered, at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight.)

Return the saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring, only until the lentils are warmed through again.

Divide the lentils among four warm shallow soup plates. Slice the salmon into 4 portions and place a piece in the center of each plate. Drizzle the salmon and lentils very lightly with olive oil, dust the top of the fish with parsley and/or chives, if you’d like, and serve immediately.

Lentil Minestrone

I actually made this a couple of months ago, at the beginning of summer because I love minestrone and lentils anytime of year. I knew some people might have a bad reaction about a fall soup being posted in the summer, so I saved it until Sept. came along. My husband once told me- when I served him soup for dinner during summer a couple years ago- that no one wants to eat hot soup after being in the hot sun. (Well, it doesn't really bother me!)

This was just one of the recipes I tried from the newer version of Deborah Madison's wonderful cookbook- Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

We absolutely loved it. I actually doubled it and froze some, so we could have a quick dinner. I end up doing that a lot when I make soups.
I will definitely make it again!

Recipe for Lentil Minestrone
* I used canned vegetable stock
* I used bowtie pasta
* I used spinach for my greens

Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Scallions

The other day I made Lentil Minestrone (recipe to come), even though some people in my family don't really care for soup and definitely don't want to eat soup in the summer.
I made a comment about it on twitter and Nancy sent me the link for this delicious lentil salad as another way to enjoy lentils that doesn't involve soup.

As soon as I looked at the ingredients I knew that I would love it and quickly put it on the menu for the next week.

I absolutely love lentils. You might think I say I love everything, but there are a few things I don't love.
Lentils are definitely a top 5 food for me though.

When I was mixing up the dressing I realized that I was almost out of olive oil, so I only used about 2 Tbls. It still worked out great.
I loved this salad warm and cold.
I enjoyed the leftovers over salad greens.

Recipe for Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Scallions

Spiced Eggplant-Lentil Salad with Mango

This salad is perfect.
Spicy & Sweet.
Healthy & Delicious.
Crunchy & Salty.

Plus, it has many of my favorite things. Eggplant. Lentils. Mango. Romaine. Salad. Nuts.
Salsa.

I saw it in a recent copy of Eating Well and knew I had to make it.

A couple of weeks ago my church collected food for a local food bank.
We walked up and down our street and met all of our neighbors, who willing donated cans of food for the food bank.
After the collecting and transporting of the food to the food bank the next day, we had a picnic for all those who had helped.

I brought this salad to share.
I wasn't sure if anyone else would be as excited about it as I was, but it got rave reviews. Lots of people really liked it. I loved it.
I was sad that there weren't any leftovers for me to take home. I guess I will just have to make it again.

This recipe is gluten and dairy free.
Recipe for Spiced Eggplant-Lentil Salad with Mango
* I reduced the amount of oil in the dressing to 1 1/2 Tbls
* I used Herdez salsa- the only jarred salsa I like

Lemony Lentil Soup with Greens

When my parents and siblings were here visiting from Utah, we all went to the Georgia Aquarium one day. My sister and her family were also down here, visiting from Washington, D.C., so it was quite a bunch of us checking out all the aquatic life.
It was really fun, but after a long day in Atlanta, we came home and were all a little tired.
I had planned on making this soup when my family was visiting anyway, so this night seemed like the perfect night to make a easy soup that would be ready fairly quickly.

I found green lentils at Earthfare,
(which is where I get all my bulk items like quinoa, lentils, steel-cut oats, bulgur, millet, couscous, specialty flours, dried fruits, nuts, nut butters and also some of my dairy and produce) so, I decided to use them in this soup since that is what Ellie calls for.

We all thought that green lentils tasted about the same as brown lentils, but they held their shape better, which gave them a little bit better texture.
I didn't have enough chicken broth in my pantry, so we also used about 6 cups of water, but it worked out fine. I also added the zest of an entire lemon since I believe that more zest is always a good thing. We probably used more kale than called for too. We just kept on tearing it up and dumping it in the pot without measuring it.

The fresh lemon juice and lemon zest really brightened up this soup and added a little extra something to it.

This soup was the perfect way to finish a long day. We had Kale Chips and Cheese Toast on the side.

Lemony Lentil Soup with Greens from So Easy by Ellie Krieger
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
16 ounces green lentils
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups kale leaves, chopped
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrot, celery and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 12 cups of broth, lentils, basil, thyme and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the kale (spinach) and cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes, adding more broth if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, and serve.

Lentil Soup with Chard

It is definitely soup weather. It has been all week. The temperatures have dropped and it has been raining. Cloudy skies and rain always make me feel like making soup and baking.

I found some beautiful swiss chard a couple of days ago and had a couple of recipes that I had been wanting to try. This was one of them.
It is a basic lentil soup without any meat and with the added nutrition and flavor of some dark greens. Dark greens and lentils pair together really well.
I really like lentils. They are easy to prepare and delicious. Make sure you sort and rinse them well. You don't want any tiny rocks to make it into your soup!

When I chopped my chard, I chopped up the stems and ribs and just added them to the soup. They soften up nicely and have to texture of celery in this soup.
I also used canola oil to cook my onion mixture instead of butter.
We topped ours off with a nice dollop of greek yogurt.

If it is cold and rainy where you are or you are in the mood for soup, give this one a try. It will warm you up.
Have a good weekend!
Recipe for Lentil Soup with Chard

One Year Ago-Vegetarian Pad Thai

Craving Ellie- Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Rub and Herbed Lentils with Spinach and Tomatoes, plus Barefoot Bloggers- Chinese Chicken Salad

Today's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe, Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Rub, was chosen by Lobster and Fishsticks. The recipe that you can print from the Food Network showed the salmon served over Herbed Lentils with Spinach and Tomatoes, also by Ellie. The combination looked so delicious, that I decided to make the lentil dish alongside the salmon.
My kids absolutely love fish. I wasn't sure if this rub was going to be a little too spicy for them since it had 1 whole Tbls of chili powder. I decided to broil 2 extra salmon fillets and leave them unseasoned, just in case. Good thing I did. They all tried it with the rub and wanted to eat the plain fillets. Except my 2- year old. She ate more salmon than anyone else at the table.
Overall, everyone really liked the salmon, especially paired with the lentils. I thought the rub was a little on the sweet side. Just a bit too sweet for me. No one else seemed to mind. To see what the other Ellies' thought, check out the Craving Ellie blogroll!


This weeks Barefoot Bloggers recipe, Chinese Chicken Salad, was chosen by McKenzie, over at Kenzie's Kitchen. It was very yummy.
Shredded chicken, blanched asparagus, and red pepper strips with a peanut dressing. Very spring-y.
I changed the dressing just a little bit. I don't use vegetable oil and I usually cut back the oil in dressing recipes, so I used canola and cut it by half. I also reduced the salt and peanut butter based on things that other Barefoot Bloggers had mentioned who made it ahead of time.
I also didn't toss the chicken and veggies with the dressing. I let everyone dress their own salad. I like less dressing than more and can't stand it when salads have more sauce than salad.
For the kids, I put a little bit of the dressing in a small bowl by their asparagus, bell peppers, and chicken, and let them dip away. It was a silverware-less night for the kiddos.
This was a really tasty salad. To see what the other Barefoot Bloggers thought, check out the Barefoot Blogroll!

Salmon with Sweet & Spicy Rub 2007 Ellie Krieger
Serves: 6 servings, serving size: 1 salmon fillet
Ingredients
Cooking Spray
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin and any pin bones removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Coat your grill or a grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat. While the grill is heating, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Brush each salmon fillet with 1/2 teaspoon of the oil, then rub each fillet with about 1/2 tablespoon of the spice mixture.
Grill the salmon, flesh side down, until charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the salmon and cook another 5 to 6 minutes for medium doneness. For well done fish, cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a platter and serve immediately.

Herbed Lentils with Spinach and Tomatoes 2007 Ellie Krieger

Serves: 4 servings, serving size 3/4 cup
Ingredients
1 cup French lentils
2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons diced shallots
3 cups baby spinach leaves (about 3 ounces)
1 cup halved grape tomatoes (about 1/2 pint)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place the lentils in a pot with the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still retain their shape. Drain any excess water from the lentils and set them aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until they are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lentils, basil, parsley, and mint to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve.

Chinese Chicken Salad 2001, Barefoot Contessa Parties! Serves: 12 servings
Ingredients
4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted
For the dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/4 cup canola oil)
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil (I used 1 Tbls)
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter (I used 3 Tbls)
2 teaspoons kosher salt (I used 1 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces.
Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces.

Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.
Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Up Next- 2 more Rice Puddings!

Lentil and Spinach Soup with Roasted Red Peppers and Pomegranate Molasses

You might be here looking for Fish Tacos or Chicken Piccata. Sorry, folks. It was just one of those weeks. I didn't get to Ellie or Barefoot this week, but I am definitely going to get to them soon. We have had three snowstorms since my husband left a little over a week ago and soup seemed a little bit more appropriate. I love fish tacos, so I am going to make them, they just aren't here today. Hear me out though, because this soup really surprised my entire family.
My kids always know that they have to eat what they are served and this soup I made mainly because I thought it sounded interesting and it used pomegranate molasses, lentils, and spinach-all favorites of mine. I was expecting some complaining, moaning, groaning and possibly having to use bribery to get my kids to eat this one. This is where the giant SURPRISE comes in. My kids all LOVED it! From the minute they sat down, they were talking about how delicious it smelled and I didn't have to force any of them to eat a single bite. They wanted to. They really, really wanted to.
And I have to admit, I agreed with them. This soup was really good. There is alot of flavor going on in it, but it is all balanced out just perfectly. You drizzle the pomegranate molasses on top and it melts into the soup. Then you top it with roasted peppers, which add another layer of contrasting flavor. Perfect for the cold, insane weather we have been having. Hopefully, spring is on its way, but if not, I will just have to make this again and again and again.

Lentil and Spinach Soup with Roasted Red Pepper and Pomegranate Molasses from Cooking Light
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
4 cups diced Japanese eggplant (about 2) (I used a normal eggplant)
1 cup chopped onion
1 thyme sprig
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
4 cups less-sodium beef broth, divided (I used chicken stock)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1/2 cup thinly sliced bottled roasted red bell pepper

Place first 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Set lentils aside.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place the eggplant, onion, and thyme in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Drizzle with oil; toss to coat. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Stir in 1 cup broth; bake 10 minutes.
Discard thyme; add eggplant mixture to lentils.

Stir in remaining 3 cups broth and parsley; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add spinach; stir gently until spinach wilts. Stir in salt and pepper. Ladle about 1 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; drizzle each serving with 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses, and top with about 1 tablespoon roasted red bell pepper.

Coming Tomorrow- Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake

Lentil Stew with Butternut Squash

This couldn't be easier. A hearty stew that you throw in the crock pot. It has 2 of my favorite foods- lentils and butternut squash. I don't really know what else to say about it besides the fact that it is delicious, loaded with fiber, and super easy to make. I don't know how much longer we are going to have butternut squash available, but if you still have some in the store, buy one and take a easy night by making this stew. You won't be sorry.

Lentil Stew with Butternut Squash From Good Housekeeping Magazine
INGREDIENTS
3 large stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 large (12-ounce) onion, chopped
1 large (2 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bag(s) (1 pound) brown lentils
4 cup(s) water
1 can(s) (14 to 14 1/2 ounces) vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon(s) dried rosemary
Salt and pepper
1 ounce(s) Parmesan or Romano cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler
1/4 cup(s) loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

DIRECTIONS
In 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker bowl, combine celery, onion, squash, lentils, water, broth, rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Cover slow cooker with lid, and cook as manufacturer directs on low setting 8 hours.
To serve, spoon lentil stew into serving bowls; top with Parmesan shavings, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Makes about 11 1/2 cups.

Coming Tomorrow- Homemade Pomegranate Molasses

Curried Lentil Soup

There is absolutely nothing beautiful about this soup, except the way it tastes. I was disappointed by the actual color after I pureed it, but everyone agreed that it tasted fabulous, so it didn't really matter. Plus, it has tons of kale and is super healthy. We love, love kale at our house. I made Kale Chips too, because they are delightful. My kids crunch them up like crazy. I used them as a garnish and also on the side. Perfect for a cold night, which we are still having quite a few of, around here.

Curried Lentil Soup from Family Circle
4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 55 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup dried lentils, picked over
4-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bunch (about 3/4 pound) fresh kale, rinsed, tough stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
1/4 cup 2% Greek yogurt
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion and carrot, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add tomatoes, lentils, broth, water and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to pot. Bring to a boil, then partially cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. In batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth; return to pot and gently reheat. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, salt and kale. Cook 5 minutes or until kale is wilted and tender. Dollop each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt.

Up Next- Craving Ellie Nutty Granola

Cooking Light Night- Lentil-Edamame Stew

One of the best things about my birthday growing up was choosing what I wanted for dinner. My mom always complied and I often chose her Minestrone, or some other kind of soup, because my birthday is in December and there is and was, alot of snow and cold weather to deal with. Stew won out this year and when I saw this stew in Cooking Light- I couldn't wait to try it. Lentils and Edamame are two of my favorite foods and this stew was delicious. We had some homemade bread alongside and I doubled the stew, to make sure we had enough for everyone. Perfect birthday dinner. I will definitely make this in the future.

Lentil-Edamame Stew from Cooking Light

1 cup dried lentils

3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups minced red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of ground cloves

1. Place lentils in a large saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above lentils. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well, and set aside.
2. Place edamame in a small saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above edamame. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until edamame are tender. Remove from heat; drain well.
3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and tomatoes to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until onion is translucent, stirring often. Stir in lentils, edamame, juice, and remaining ingredients. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring often

Coming Tomorrow- Lebanese Layer Salad

Weekly Lunchbox- Popcorn Squares, Stuffed Pitas with Tuna, Egg and Corn, Italian Lentil and Bulgur Salad, and Simple Chicken Parm Sandwiches

This week's lunchbox is super yummy! The Popcorn Squares were in Family Fun magazine and I decided to rework a granola recipe I made a few weeks ago so that we could have some homemade granola but also so I could use some in this recipe. It was a favorite. The Stuffed Pita is from a really cute Annabel Karmel cookbook called Lunch Boxes and Snacks. It has some of the best lunch ideas that I have seen. I doubled this recipe because it looked great and the rest of us were able to enjoy it too.

The Lentil Bulgur Salad is yummy and unexpected, because it has Italian Seasoning, I added some cooked chicken to the leftover and it made a great snack/lunch.

And last, the Simple Chicken Parm Sandwich. I doubled Prudy's Great Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns recipe and made them into minis, so I had great buns for sandwiches. I also had some leftover chicken, marinara and provolone, so I threw them all together. Delish!

Stuffed Pitas with Tuna, Egg and Corn adapted from Annabel Karmel's Lunchboxes and Snacks

2 eggs

1 6-oz can tuna, drained

1/2 cup corn

2 Tbls fat-free mayo

1 tsp white wine vinegar

4 scallions, chopped

salt and pepper

few drops of Tabasco sauce ( I used 3 drops)

alfalfa sprouts

2 whole wheat pitas

Put the eggs in a saucepan of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, 7-8 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water. Peel the eggs when cold.

Meanwhile, flake the tuna with a fork and mix with the corn, mayo, vinegar, scallions, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Roughly chop the hard-boiled eggs and add the the tuna mix with the sprouts., stirring well.

Cut the pita breads in half to make four pita pockets and divide the mixture among them.

Italian Lentil-Bulgur Salad by Mary Ann

1 cup bulgur

2 Tbls fresh lemon juice

2 Tbls olive oil

1/2 English cucumber, halved and sliced

1 1/2 cup fresh green beans, blanched

1 1/2 cups brown lentils, cooked

2 Tbls fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbls. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

2 small tomatoes, chopped

Boil 2 cups of water and pour over the bulgur, that is in a large bowl. Cover and let bulgur absorb water. When water is absorbed fluff bulgur with a fork. Add lemon juice and olive oil. Stir well. Add cucumber, green beans, lentils, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepepr. Mix well and adjust seasoning to taste. Add tomatoes and stir gently to combine. Refrigerate.

Popcorn Squares from Family Fun Magazine
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup homemade granola*
1 cup roasted and salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
3 cups plain popped popcorn

Step 1 Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil. Heat the honey in a large saucepan until it boils, about 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and stir until mixture is well blended.

Step 2 Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the granola, the peanuts, and the popcorn until everything is coated.

Step 3 Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Refrigerate the pan until the mixture is cool, about 30 minutes. (I refrigerated them over night and cut them in the morning).

Step 4 Cut the mixture into small squares . The treats will be a bit crumbly, so you may want to serve them in paper candy cups.

* Homemade Maple Peach Granola by Mary Ann

5 cups oats

heaping 1/3 cup wheat germ

heaping 1/3 cup flaxseed meal

1 1/4 cup macadamia, walnut, and pecan pieces

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup peach nectar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 T canola oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup raisins, or other dried fruit

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well mixed. Spread on a large jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, or longer, until dry. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.


Simple Chicken Parm Sandwiches by Mary Ann
whole wheat mini buns (Thank you Prudy)
cooked chicken
marinara sauce
Provolove cheese slices

Spread marinara on both sides of the bun. Fill with shredded chicken, top with cheese. Pop in the microwave until cheese is melted and sammy is warm!