Category Archives: Legumes, glorious legumes…

Snobby Joes

I had some very dear friends stay at my place this weekend.  There were trips to the doggy beach, multiple Mexian-eating outings, gobs of walking in downtown Chitown, and of course….some cooking on my part.  They were arriving around dinner time on Friday evening so I wanted to have some ready for right when they got there.  I dug out my Veganomicon book and their Snobby Joes immediately jumped out at me.  First of all, I LOVE lentils and chili powder.  Second of all, pretty much everyone like sloppy joes.  And finally, it was something I could make ahead and easily reheat quickly once my guests arrived.

They were not the greatest meal I’ve ever created, but they were filling and tasty.  I served them with simple sides of steam broccoli and sweet potato friesNOTE: If you don’t like heat, you should cut down on the chili powder.  It packs quite the punch….

And sorry, no picture yet!

Snobby Joes

Adapted from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Ingredients –

  • 1 cup uncooked lentils
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
  • 1 green pepper, diced small
  • 1 large carrot, diced small
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard (wet mustard)
  • 4 to 6 kaiser rolls

Directions -
1. Put the lentils in a small sauce pot and pour in 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.

2. About 10 minutes before the lentils are done boiling, preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more.

3. Add the cooked lentils, the chili powder, oregano and salt and mix. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through.

4. Turn the heat off and let sit for about 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld, or go ahead and eat immediately if you can’t wait. I like to serve these open faced, with a scoop of snobby joe on each slice of the bun.

Apple Walnut Lentil Loaf

I love apples.  I love walnuts.  I LOVE lentils.  So, it only makes sense that I thought this loaf was amazing.  Its completely vegan and packs some great nutritional punches – lentils, flax seeds, carrots, onions…  I almost completely pureed my vegetables and the result was a delicious creamy texture that practically melted in my mouth.  And double the sauce when you make this.  Its so good you’ll be glad you did!

Apple Walnut Lentil Loaf Muffins may not be pretty, but they have me looking forward to eating my lunch while I’m still eating breakfast.  :)

…..and just when you think your life cannot get any more boring (its Spring Break here and with no students I’m chained to my desk trying to get projects done), you get a great email and new hip bands and a new food blog to check out.  Do yourself a favor and check out http://www.nypartyofone.com……………………










Lentil Apple Walnut Loaf

adapted from Terry Walters’ Clean Food

Ingredients -

For the loaf

  • 1 cup dried lentils (I used brown, though any type would work.)
  • 3 cups vegetables stock (I used chicken stock)
  • 1 thumb-size piece of kombu (I left this out…though I’m going to look for it the next time I’m in Whole Foods.)
  • 3 tbsp ground flax seed (I used whole seeds, not ground)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 stalk celery, minced (I left this out)
  • 2 tbsp mirin (Japanese cooking wine.  I used 2 tbsp white wine instead.)
  • 1 apple, peeled, grated and mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 3/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 6-7 dashes ume plum vinegar (I don’t have this and was going to substitute  with balsamic vinegar, but I forgot.  So, mine had no vinegar in the actual loaf.)

For the glaze (The following is what the original recipe calls for, but I doubled it and was glad I did.)

  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp apple butter (I didn’t have any on hand so I used some strawberry-rhubarb jam with a consistency of apple butter…delicious!)
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot (This is just Nature’s healthy version of cornstarch so feel free to use regular cornstarch instead.)

Directions -

For the lentils

1. Rinse lentils, place in rice cooker or pot and add stock and kombu.

2. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender.  Remove from heat, discard kombu and set aside.

For the loaf

1. In a small bowl, combine flax seed with water and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion, carrot and celery in olive oil for 2 minutes.  Add mirin and saute 3 minutes more.  Add grated apple, raisins and walnuts and saute another minute.  Add thyme, vinegar and pepper to taste.

4. Remove from heat and fold in cooked lentils, breadcrumbs and soaked flax seed until evenly distributed.  Press mixture firmly into lightly oiled loaf pan and set aside.  (I used a muffin tin instead.  I saw Kath do this by accident and loved the idea of individual servings.)

For the glaze

1. In a small saucepan over no heat, combine all glaze ingredients.  Place over medium heat and stir continuously until thick (about 2-3 minutes).  Spread evenly over loaf (or muffins) and bake, uncovered, 40 minutes (or ~ 30 minutes for muffins).  Remove from oven and serve.

PS….I made 14 muffins that came in at 200 calories each.

Feisty Green Beans

I love green beans. I will buy bags of fresh green beans in the produce section, trim them, steam them, and eat a plate full of them with a little healthy balance butter and salt.  But with my increase production in cooking and baking, my palette seems to be demanding -or at least appreciating- more complicated flavors lately.  As soon as I saw this recipe on 101 Cookbooks I knew I had to make it.  There was so much to love about it….green beans, wine, paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, sour cream…..

Verdict? Near perfection. Really.  I had to keep reminding myself not to feel guilty while eating them because they taste so good you assume they have to be unhealthy for you.  But really, the *bad ingredients* aren’t very bad at all…extra virgin olive oil and almonds are full of healthy fats, wine has flavonoids (but really you evaporate most of the wine anyways when cooking it), and I used fat free sour cream which didn’t diminish the dish at all.  So, eat and be merry!  These veggies are tasty AND healthy.  (Are you listening Paula Deen???)

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Feisty Green Beans

adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients –

  • 1 pound green beans, thinly sliced (I chopped mine into about inch long pieces)
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins (I used Sunmaid’s Mixed Jumbo Raisins because I knew the leftovers would make for better snacking.  They ended up working great in this dish.)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (I substituted garlic powder here)
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1/3 cup white wine (Use whatever you like to drink since there will be a lot leftover.)
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander (I didn’t have this and just left it out…)
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • scant 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (scant-schmant.  I like spice.  I used a heaping 1/2 teaspoon.)
  • 6 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes  (I didn’t include the tofu because 1- I wasn’t sure my guest would like it and 2- there was plenty of protein in the meal already with chicken as the main course.)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup / 120 ml crème fraîche or sour cream  (I used fat free sour cream)
  • 1/4 cup / 3/4 oz / 20g sliced almonds, toasted
  • 1/3 cup / one handful of finely chopped fresh cilantro  (I left this out since I’m not a big cilantro fan.)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions -

1. Cook the green beans in a pot of well-salted boiling water for about a minute, just long enough that they lose their raw edge. Drain and dunk in ice-cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside. (I actually steamed my beans instead of boiling and cooked them longer so that they were a bit softer than what the original recipe calls for.  Just a personal preference….)

2. In a small bowl cover the raisins with scalding hot water for five minutes, drain and set aside.

3. Heat your largest skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil, garlic, onion, and bay leaves. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions and garlic start to brown just a bit. Add the wine and cook until it has mostly evaporated. Carefully remove the bay leaves. Stir in the paprika, cumin, coriander, curry powder, salt, crushed red pepper flakes. Stir in the tofu and raisins and cook until heated through, a minute or so. Add the butter and green beans and stir until the butter has melted.

4. Remove from heat and stir in the crème fraiche (sour cream), then most of the almonds and most of the cilantro. Taste and add more salt and some pepper if you like. Serve topped with any remaining almonds and cilantro.


Inspired by a recipe in Anna Getty’s Anna Getty’s Easy Green Organic, to be published by Chronicle Books, 2010.

Picture courtesy of 101CookBooks.com because I felt a minute could not be spared to grab the camera.  I just wanted to eat!.

Bean n’ Oat Burgers

I know I have praised Mark Bittman a time or two already, but the man is genius:  good, healthy, and easy food.  Yesterday I whipped up a batch of my favorite bean burgers and can honestly say I will never buy a prepackaged meatless burger again.  I have been making these for a year or two and never get sick of them.  Plus, you can tweak them so many ways you can have a different burger every time.

You can use any bean you want, but I like black beans best.  A mixture of beans is also good and I will often just add in whatever types of beans I have leftover from another dish.  (I haven’t tried lentils yet, but I bet they would be tasty as well…)

The Simplest Bean Burgers

from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

Ingredients –
  • 2 cups well-cooked white, black, or red beans or chickpeas or lentils, or one 14-ounce can, drained  (I always cook my beans from dried.  It may take a while (2-2.5 hours) but it’s completely *inactive* cooking time and its a very simple process.  Not only do the beans taste better than canned, you end up with a lot of ‘bean juice‘ which is great to use a variety of dishes that call for water or broth.  Plus, Mother Earth appreciates the fact you’re using a lot less packaging…)
  • 1 medium onion, quartered (I just use onion powder if I don’t have an onion in the apt)
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats (I used old-fashioned)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder or spice mix of your choice (I load up on the chili and garlic powder.  It’s also great with an Indian flair – try cumin, ginger & curry spices)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • Bean-cooking liquid, stock, or other liquid if necessary
  • Extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, as needed  (I don’t use this in my cooking method.  See below.)

Directions –

1. Combine the beans, onion, oats, chili powder, salt, pepper, and egg in a food processor and pulse until chunky but not puréed, adding a little liquid if necessary to produce a moist but not wet mixture. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes if time allows.  (Its much easier to handle if you stick the bean mixture in the fridge to chill before forming patties.  You can leave them in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to a day…..I usually just set them in there for an hour or so.)

2. With wet hands, shape into whatever size patties you want and again let rest for a few minutes if time allows.  Film the bottom of a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with oil and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, add the patties. Cook until nicely browned on one side, about 5 minutes; turn carefully and cook on the other side until firm and browned.

2. I do not fry my bean burgers.  I save the calories (and the mess) from not using oil.  I simply form my patties and throw them on the George Foreman Grill with a little Pam sprayed on.  Leave them on for about 4 minutes and you’ve got a perfect bean burger! (But note, these burgers are not hearty enough to grill on a regular gas or electric grill on their own.  You will need to use a grilling basket of sorts.  Thanks, Monica!)

3. Serve on buns with the usual burger fixings. Or cool and refrigerate or freeze for later use.  (I usually make up a double batch and freeze them.)

I made 10 small patties from the above recipe.  I believe Mark says there should be 4-6 servings.  I rarely eat mine as a *burger* and more often like them crumbled on top on of rice or a salad…..on just plain with ketchup!  (My small patties also just clock in at 62 calories…nice!)

But these do make an excellent burger.  Put on a little kale, tomato, cheese, ketchup……YUM!

Also, be sure to check out Mark’s original recipe for a ton of suggested variations!

Braised Lentils, Tara Style

Okay, so while my Walnut Pillows did not turn out very well, my Braised Lentils turned out tastey like usual.

The recipe is from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.  If you do not own either this book or his original, How to Cook Everything, go to Amazon and buy at least one of them right now.  I have several cookbooks, but I almost never open any besides Bittman’s.  Both these big beautiful cookbooks sit right next to my oven.  Many of his recipes are followed by 4-8 variations on it which means I can make Braised Lentils – Spanish Style, Moroccan Style, Ethiopian Style, with Winter Squash, with Celery, with….and well, you get the picture.  I love knowing that if I just make sure I have the staples: dried beans and lentils, onions, carrots, potatoes, a variety of spices, etc….I can open up his book and find a healthy and unique recipe to cook up.  Bittman’s all about eating natural and limiting our animal consumption.  He often gives vegan variations of recipes and will open your eyes to many different vegetables.  Though, please note that he is not a vegetarian himself and his How to Cook Everything book includes many delish meat recipes!

Braised Lentils, Tara Style is a mix of his Spanish Style and Moroccan Style.  It really depends on what I’m in the mood for and what I have on hand.  Today I knew I wanted to taste cumin but I also didn’t have any red wine or tomatoes….so here’s what I came up with:

Braised Lentils, Tara Style

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder (I like my lentils on the hot side)

1/2-1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

1 bay leaf

1 cup vegetable stock

1.5 cups chicken stock (I just used up what I had on hand…you can also water and substitute a 1/2 cup of the stock/water with red wine….which I highly recommend as its even better that way.)

1 cup dried brown lentils

Cooking Instructions:

1 – Put the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft.  About 5-7 minutes.

2 – Add the bay leaf, liquid (stock, wine, water) and lentils.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down to medium-low so that the mixture bubbles gently, cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally and adding stock or water if necessary to keep the lentils from sticking and burning, until the lentils are tender.  About 25-30 minutes.

3 – The lentils should be saucy but not soupy.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, sprinkle with parsley if desired, and serve or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I love these lentils on their own as a side dish, but I especially adore them on top of a bean burger……which I’m hoping I’ll have time to whip up today.  :)

morrocan lentilsThey may not be pretty, but they are delicious!