Lentil Casserole – Greek Style

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed if needed
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup + 2 T vegetable stock or broth (canned vegetable broth is fine here)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. Greek oregano
1 tsp. Greek Seasoning
1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes, drained and slightly mashed
1 green bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
3/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F.  Use a 3 quart casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid.  Combine lentils, chopped onion, minced garlic, vegetable broth, bay leaf, black pepper, Greek oregano, and Greek seasoning in the casserole dish and bake covered for 45 minutes.

While lentils bake, drain the tomatoes and mash gently inside the can with a fork.  Cut seeds out of the bell peppers and finely chop, and crumble enough Feta to make 3/4 cup.

After 45 minutes, take lentils out of the oven, stir in the crushed tomatoes, put the lid back on and bake for 15 minutes more.  Then take out again, gently mix in the finely chopped bell pepper and 2/3 of the Feta.  Crumble the rest of the Feta over the top and bake 15-20 minutes more, or until the Feta is starting to melt and get lightly browned.  Serve hot.

	Nutrition Facts   4 Servings Amount Per Serving   Calories 177.6   Total Fat 6.3 g   Saturated Fat 4.2 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g   Monounsaturated Fat 1.3 g   Cholesterol 25.0 mg   Sodium 576.7 mg   Potassium 318.9 mg   Total Carbohydrate 22.1 g   Dietary Fiber 6.0 g   Sugars 5.1 g   Protein 9.7 g   Vitamin A 12.1 %   Vitamin B-12 7.9 %   Vitamin B-6 16.6 %   Vitamin C 54.9 %   Vitamin D 0.0 %   Vitamin E 1.7 %   Calcium 16.9 %   Copper 9.0 %   Folate 27.9 %   Iron 13.0 %   Magnesium 7.6 %   Manganese 17.3 %   Niacin 5.1 %   Pantothenic Acid     6.6 %   Phosphorus     20.3 %   Riboflavin 17.2 %   Selenium 8.5 %   Thiamin 10.9 %   Zinc 10.4 % *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Meatless Monday Double Feature

Ok, folks, I’ve got a double feature for you this week to make up for missing last weeks meatless Monday. These quinoa bites get whipped up pretty quickly and they freeze well which is why I make them on a pretty regular basis.

Cheesy Quinoa Bites

adapted from soveryblessed.com

(click the link to see the original recipe and better pictures)

• 2 cups cooked quinoa (*see note at bottom)
• 1 egg and 2 egg whites
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 3 stalks green onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 cup grated Sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
• 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash (original flavor)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Mix together quinoa, carrot, egg, green onion, garlic, cheese, flour, Mrs. Dash, salt and pepper.
3.  Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top (1 heaping Tbs each).
4.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.

*regarding the quinoa- I cook it a day ahead of time as doing this seems to help it all stick together a little better. I also cook the quinoa in Chicken broth to add more flavor. You could also cook it in Beef or Vegetable broth.

 

 

Crockpot Quinoa and Lentil Soup

1/2 cup quinoa

3/4 cup uncooked small red lentils

2 large carrots

2 stalks celery

1 small head cauliflower (can also use 1 med. zucchini OR 1 small butternut squash)

1 large onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 inch piece cinnamon stick (optional, see note*)

2 thin slices fresh ginger (I used 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. ground ginger since I didn’t have fresh)

6-8 cups chicken stock (start with 6 and add more to get desired consistency, I used 8)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground fennel seed

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp dried thyme leaf or 1 sprig fresh

1 tsp dried basil or 1 Tbsp minced fresh

1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves or 1 sprig fresh

1/2 tsp salt or to taste and fresh ground black pepper

4 Tbsp minced fresh herbs: parsley, cilantro or basil

2 cups chopped fresh greens: kale, chard, or spinach (optional)

Crockpot Directions:

1. Rinse the lentils in a bowl or pan, then drain into a colander
2. Peel carrots and cut into thin pieces
3. Wash and trim the celery stalks, then slice into thin pieces
4. Break or cut the cauliflower into medium-large chunks (they will break up into smaller pieces as they cook)
5. Combine quinoa, lentils, herbs & spices and fresh ginger in the crockpot
6. Add the vegetables (except for the greens) and cover with the 6 cups chicken broth
7. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or more if needed
8. 30 minutes before serving, turn the heat up to high and stir in the greens
9. Just before serving, add the minced fresh parsley, basil or cilantro, salt & pepper, and serve, removing the ginger slices, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, as you come across them

*I thought the cinnamon stick was too much so next time I make it I’ll either leave it out completely or take it out after 15-20 minutes. I also made my soup on the stove instead of the crockpot. If you want to do that start by sauteing all the vegetables (aside from optional greens) for about 10 minutes, then add spices and seasonings, followed by chicken stock, lentils (rinsed) and quinoa. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa and lentils are fully cooked. Remove bay leaf, ginger and cinnamon stick before serving.

Lentil Loaf

Meatloaf is one of those comforting fall foods for me but to be honest, eating that much beef just doesn’t do my body as much good as vegetables and lentils do, so I am excited to post this recipe for Lentil Loaf. I like to serve it with mashed cauliflower and steamed green beans. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Ultimate Vegan Lentil Walnut Loaf

adapted from ohsheglows.com
Yield: 8 thick slices

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry lentils
• 3 cups vegetable, chicken or beef broth
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or Grapeseed oil)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup sweet onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk or green onion, chopped finely (optional)
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1/3 of an apple, peeled, grated (makes 1/3 cup grated apple)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup regular oats, ground into a flour (use GF oats for gluten-free option)
• 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used 2 slices of Ezekiel bread, lightly toasted, and processed in food processor) Use GF breadcrumbs for gluten-free

Directions:

Cook lentils: Rinse lentils in water and pick over being sure to remove any small pebbles that may be in the mix.
Add stock to a medium sized pan over medium heat. Add lentils, bring to boil, and reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender (about 40 minutes). Be sure to stir the lentils frequently so they do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Once the lentils are cooked, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 F and line a loaf pan with parchment so that parchment paper hangs over the edges by 2 inches.

Walnuts: Toast 3/4 cup of walnuts at 350F for about 6 minutes and then set aside to cool.

Prepare vegetable mixture: In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onion and minced garlic for about 5 minutes on low-medium heat. After the onions are tender, add carrot and sauté for 2-3 minutes over low heat. Add grated apple, raisins, and chopped walnuts and sauté another minute or two.  Add thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
Breadcrumbs: I took 2 slices of Ezekiel bread and lightly toasted them. Then I ripped up the slices and placed into my food processor and processed until small breadcrumbs were left.

Once the lentils are cooled, take about 3/4 of the lentils and place into food processor. Process until mostly smooth. Now take the processed lentils and scoop into a large bowl. Add in the remaining non-processed lentils and place into bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, egg, veggie mixture, oat flour and Worcester sauce. Mix well with your hands, pressing it through your fingers. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Press the mixture firmly into the pan.
Bake, uncovered 45 minutes at 350F.
Cool for about 10-15 minutes and serve. Serves about 8 thick slices.