Mama's Warming Lentil Soup

This is my mom’s lentil soup. It’s really easy, but incredibly delicious and a great thing dish to have on a cold day. It warms me right up! Let me reiterate my usual lack of measure in this recipe. All of the measurements are guesses. Don't be afraid to change them depending on your tastes. Just go with it!

• 1 ½ cup lentils
• ½ lb. ground beef (this can be substituted with firm tofu for a vegetarian version)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-6 red potatoes (depending on size), cubed
• 1 tbsp cumin
• garlic salt and pepper to taste

 Combine tomatoes, onions, garlic, cumin and ground beef in large frying pan and brown. Once brown, combine lentils and ground beef mixture in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the lentils and meat (There should be about an inch of water about the lentils). Bring to a boil. Turn down to medium heat and cover for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 40 minutes, add red potatoes and cover for another 20 minutes, or until potatoes are fully cooked. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste. For even more texture, have this soup on top of quinoa. Enjoy!

The Wonders of Quinoa

http://fitfoodlover.blogspot.com/2010/11/quinoa-risotto.htmlHealth foodies have been raving about quinoa for years, but now it’s really taking off in gourmet food circles. In my opinion, quinoa is to the food world as Chanel is to the fashion world. It’s a staple. A must have. If you have Celiac disease or are gluten-intolerant and do not currently have quinoa in your diet, stop reading this and go buy some. Stat.

A little history: Quinoa is a grain that has been eaten for thousands of years in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, and was cultivated by the Incas. They referred to it as the “mother seed”. When the Spanish came in and conquered the Incas, they destroyed the fields and forbid the growing of quinoa. Luckily, the species was not completely destroyed by any means. In the eighties, a few guys realized how freakin’ awesome quinoa was and started growing it in Colorado. Since then, it’s really taken off in the U.S. (See Whole Foods)

There are several variations of quinoa, the most popular being white quinoa and red quinoa. There is no nutritional difference between the two.

I really love quinoa and probably eat it at least 3 times a week. Its super high in amino acids and has lots of vits (for a full nutritional analysis see Quinoa Nutrition). I find that cooking a bunch at the beginning of the week and keeping it in the fridge for quick easy meals is really convenient. I just take some out and sauté it with a little olive oil or butter and seasoning.

Cooking: A lot of quinoa recipes will tell you to do 1 part quinoa/3 parts water. DON’T! It will get mushy. Bleh. I use 1 part quinoa/2 parts water. Bring it to a boil and then turn it down. Simmer until water is absorbed. You can add in any savory seasonings, or even eat it sweet for breakfast! The possibilities are endless.

Here are a few quick and easy ideas for quinoa:

• Sauté veggies of your choice with olive oil or butter and then add cooked quinoa. Heat through.
• Cook with half almond milk/half water, sweeten with Agave or honey to taste. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Add berries or nuts.

• After quinoa is done cooking, stir in some feta cheese crumbles. Cover for a few minutes just to let the quinoa absorb the feta taste.
• Instead of using oil or butter, heat quinoa with a few tbsp of salsa
• Thicken soups with it!
• Use in place of rice in recipes

 Here is one of my favorite quinoa recipes:
Quinoa Risotto

 As this blog progresses, there will be many more quinoa recipes to come!

If you haven’t tried quinoa, you really should. It tastes great, has tons of health benefits, and is just another healthy grain to add to your diet. Go ahead, change it up! Try some quinoa. You know you want to.

Quinoa Risotto

This recipe is from Jaqueline Mallorca’s book Gluten-Free Italian… LOVE IT! I made this for the first time over the summer while I was visiting my gorgeous fiance in South Africa.  He and I make a great pair because I love to cook and he loves to eat. The risotto was an instant favorite. He actually convinced me to make it 2 days in a row. Here you go!

• Fine sea salt
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup gluten-free chicken broth
• 4-6 tbs. heavy cream2 tbs. chopped flat leaf parsley
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the quinoa, and cook uncovered until just tender and the white germ rings show, 8-10 min. Drain well, spread out on a baking sheet, and let dry for 30 min.

Warm the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. When it foams, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened but not colored, about 5 min. Add quinoa and stir well to coat. Add the wine and let it evaporate. Stir in the broth and simmer for a further 5 min. add the cream and parsley and heat through. Add the parmesan. Taste for seasoning and add and/or pepper if needed. Enjoy!