Posts tagged lentils

Growing Wild Meal Plan: 6/10-6/16

June 13, 2010 · Filed under Meal Planning, Spring · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Sheila

Our veggie harvests this week include lettuce, turnips, radishes, green garlic, garlic scapes, green onions, kale, parsley, chard, and kohlrabi.  We also started harvesting some of our lovely dark cornish meat chickens, so that along with our goat meat means we have to purchase less meat.  We buy a little lamb from our friend’s at Bide-a-Wee and until our pigs get processed next week, some pork from Sky Ranch of Yamhill, Oregon.  Here is this week’s meal plan.  The last few weeks–the first few weeks of our market season–were mostly chaotic as our schedules shifted and we all adjusted.  All the progress I had made at planning meals went out the door, but I made one this week, because I have really come to enjoy the ease of once a week shopping and no last minute dinner debacles when I have no idea what to cook.

  • Thursday: Breakfast–Poached eggs with pinto beans & green garlic   Lunch–Chicken stock with polenta, green garlic, and kale         Dinner–Tacos w/ ground lamb, green garlic, and kale w/ radish salsa and chopped lettuce
  • Friday:  Breakfast–Buckwheat pancakes w/ scrambled eggs                  Lunch–Curried lentils with turnip greens and green garlic            Dinner–Slow cooked goat stew w/ sun-dried tomatoes and green garlic, creamy polenta, braised swiss chard and a reduction sauce
  • Saturday:  Breakfast–Egg scramble w/ kale and green onions               Lunch–Chicken liver pate & hummus w/ rye crackers, roasted turnip salad (made like potato salad w/ bacon, green onions, & mayonnaise), lettuce Dinner–Roast chicken with braised turnip greens and green garlic
  • Sunday: Breakfast–Fried eggs and bacon w/ whole green onions        Lunch– Gluten-free pasta w/ leftover goat stew, parsley, and green onion Dinner–Baked beans, Lettuce Salad w/ radishes
  • Monday:Breakfast–Buckwheat pancakes w/ eggs                             Lunch–Pate & white bean dip w/ sunflower seed crackers, kohlrabi slices, lettuce salad w/ radishes                                                                        Dinner–White bean & kale soup w/ garlic scape pesto
  • Tuesday:Breakfast–Scrambled eggs with garlic scape pesto                   Lunch–Leftover soup                                                                               Dinner–Lamb meatballs, white bean dip, roasted turnips, salad
  • Wednesday:  Breakfast–Egg drop soup w/green onions and turnip greens Lunch–Polenta pizza w/ sun-dried tomato & parsley pesto (made with walnuts instead of pine nuts), salad                                                               Dinner–Sprouted lentil and kale patties w/ turnip fries

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Beefy Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup

April 23, 2010 · Filed under Autumn, Main Dish, Spring, Winter · Tagged , , , , , ,

Posted by Lisa

Beefy Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup

Family, why do you frown upon Indian spiced lentils?  It’s my favorite lentil preparation.  What’s a home cook to do?  Try again apparently, this time without the Indian spices.

The word beefy in the recipe title may be misleading.  There’s not actually much beef in here, but it does have a big, beefy flavor thanks to the home-made stock from meaty soup bones.  Since we don’t eat a whole lot of meat around here anymore, that’s beefy to me.  I understand it won’t necessarily be to people who eat a lot of meat.

This soup is easy to prepare, but since it requires making stock from scratch, it is time intensive.  I would allow about five hours.

Beefy Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup

printable recipe

  • 1 – 1 1/2 pounds meaty beef soup bones
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 5 peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cooking fat (I used lard)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 large or 2 medium parsnips, 1/2″ dice
  • 1 large or 2 medium carrots, 1/2″ dice
  • 1 small to medium celery root, peeled and 1/2″ dice
  • 2 cups lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • freshly ground pepper
  • sea salt

Place bones, crushed garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt in a large, heavy bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven.  Cover with water, approximately 3 quarts.  Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat.  On a low simmer, cook until the stock looks brownish and the meat is falling off the bones, about 3 hours.  Strain the stock and reserve the bones and meat.  Using the same pot on medium high heat, melt fat.  When fat is hot add onions, parsnips, carrots and celery root.  Cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  When vegetables are brown, add strained beef stock, lentils, thyme, freshly ground pepper and about 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.  While soup is cooking, remove the beef from bones when they are cool enough.  Roughly chop the meat.  When the lentils and vegetables are tender, add the chopped beef and adjust seasonings to taste.

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Collard Greens and Lentil Soup

December 30, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Main Dish, Winter · Tagged , ,

Posted by Lisa

Collard Greens and Lentil Soup

Collard greens may just be my favorite greens.  Actually, they are tied with kale.  Collards have a nice mild flavor and they can adapt well to many types of dishes, from soup and stews to Greek dishes.  Since they are so large, they would work well for stuffing and rolling, similar to cabbage rolls.  Collard greens are also very nutritious.  They have more than 800% of RDA for Vit. K, more than 100% of Vit. A and more than 50% of Vit. C.  They are also full of folate, calcium, fiber and protein.  Many people aren’t used to eating collard greens and they seem to be more popular in Southern cooking, but since they grow so well during cold weather, I hope and expect we will see an increase in their availability as more small produce farmers (including CSA’s) attempt to grow local produce year-round.

Lentils are also full of protein, only second behind dried soybeans in most protein-filled legumes.

If you make this soup with bone stock, in addition to the vitamins and nutrients from the collards and lentils, you will also be getting magnesium, phosphorus, glucosamine, chondroiton, trace minerals and additional calcium.

This soup is a relatively quick soup and it’s also very budget-friendly.  The most expensive item in this dish was the bunch of organic collard greens, which was a deal at $2/bunch.

Collard Greens and Lentil Soup

printable recipe

  • 2 tablespoons fat (olive oil, butter, coconut oil or bacon grease)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 large stalk celery, chopped
  • 2 cups lentils, sorted and rinsed
  • approximately one quart of stock or water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • pinch of cayenne
  • one bunch collard greens, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot.  Add onions and garlic.  Cook for a few minutes.  Add carrots and celery.  Continue to cook until vegetables are tender.  Add lentils, spices and enough stock or water to cover everything by 1″ (more or less depending on how soupy you like your soup).  Bring to a simmer and then cover and reduce heat enough to keep the soup at a very gentle simmer.  Cook until lentils are tender, approximately 30 minutes.  When lentils are tender, add chopped collard greens and cook an additional five minutes or until collard greens are cooked.

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Indian Lentils with Cabbage

April 27, 2009 · Filed under Autumn, Main Dish, Spring, Winter · Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by Lisa
Indian Lentils with Cabbage

Indian Lentils with Cabbage

This isn’t the snazziest dish; it’s pretty homely looking.  Don’t let that fool you.  This is a hearty and comforting bowl of lentil stew.  The tomatoes and cabbage lend it a slight sweetness that took me by surprise.  It isn’t very spicy, but the flavors aren’t boring either.  It also reheats very well.  My oldest daughter thought it was better the next day.

Indian Lentils with Cabbage

  • 1 3/4 cups lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 7 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 5 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely sliced
  • 3/4 pound cabbage, finely sliced
  • 1/2 cup frozen or canned mild green chiles
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes (home canned are best)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped

Put lentils and water in pot and bring to a boil.  Skim any foam that forms on the surface.  Add turmeric and 1 teaspoon sea salt and stir well.  Simmer until lentils are cooked, about 40 minutes.

While lentils cook, heat coconut oil in a dutch oven or large pot.  When hot, add cumin seeds.  Let them sizzle for a few seconds and then add garlic.  Cook garlic for about 30 seconds and then add onion, cabbage and green chiles.  Cook for about 10 minutes and cabbage is wilted and beginning to turn golden.  Stir in one teaspoon of salt and turn heat off and cover until lentil are cooked.

When lentils are cooked, add tomatoes and ginger and stir well, then cook another five minutes.  Then add lentil mixture to cabbage mixture and turn heat back on and bring to a simmer.  Check and adjust seasonings as necessary and then serve.

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