Pumpkin Vegetable Curry

I cook a lot using our stove anyway but since our oven is broken (we ordered the part we need) I am having to use it even more. I love curries but they are not something I cook at home very often.  I found this curry on Pinterest and decided to give it a try.

Pumpkin Vegetable Curry

Makes at least 8 servings 

2 onions diced up

8 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cans black beans, drained

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

1 can diced tomato

1/2 to 3/4 cup of coconut milk

2-4 tablespoon (or more) red curry paste

Salt and pepper

2-4 tablespoons of honey

• Cook the onions and garlic with the olive oil in a medium/large saucepan for 5 minutes on medium heat
• Add the rest of the ingredients except for the honey and then taste to see if more curry paste, salt or pepper is needed
• When you have the spices to your liking add the honey and then taste to see if more honey is needed.
• Bring to a boil and then lower head and cook at a low simmer for 15-20 minutes
• While the curry is cooking I cooked some quinoa to serve the curry over.

I served this curry over about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of cooked quinoa. Depending on how hungry you and your family are this recipe makes at least 8 servings and is great the next day (or the day after) for lunches.

Lasagna Mushrooms

This is a variation on a Skinnytaste recipe because the first time I made it I didn't have the correct ingredients.  That is what you get when you don't follow your own grocery list.

4 portobello mushrooms (the flatter and wider the better)

1/2 a medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup shredded carrots

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

A handful of dry basil

3/4 cup marinera sauce

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 egg

Preheat the over to 400 degrees

Heat a saucepan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil.  Saute the onion, garlic and carrots for about 5 minutes.  When the mixture is mostly cooked add the spinach and cook another minute or two.

While the veggies are cooking mix the parmesan cheese and ricotta cheese, the basil and an egg in a bowl.

When the veggies are done cooking add them to the cheese mixture and stir well.  Scoop out the gills of the mushrooms trying not to break the sides of the mushroom.  Place the mushrooms on a cookie sheet and put a little salt and pepper on them.

Stuff the mushrooms with the mixtures, dividing the filling evenly.  Add a layer of marinara sauce and then top with the mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes and then enjoy!

New Favorite Breakfast

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a breakfast person.  It is not that I don't like breakfast foods.  It is more the fact that when I wake up food is not something I am interested in for at least an hour or two.

I have been hearing about overnight oats for months and last week I finally decided to try them.  I have no idea why it took me this long to try them because they are fantastic. I have actually been eating overnight oats mostly as part of my lunch at work but on the weekends they have been my go to breakfast.

I love that I throw them together the night (it literally takes 5 minutes at most) before and they are ready to grab as I head out the door to work.

Overnight Oats

1/4 cup oats

1/2 cup milk (any kind)

1 1/2 tsp chia seeds

A good sized handful of berries or other fruit

A little bit of a sweetener if you want (sometimes I use 1/2 a tsp of agave)

Put all the ingredients together in a Tupperware or jar with a lid, give them a good stir and put the whole thing in the refrigerator overnight.

It only took a few days of seeing me eat this meal before I had peaked by fiancee's interest enough that he asked me to make him some too.  He eats his in the morning at home and adds a couple of scoops of chocolate protein powder and a splash of water.  This is something easy, cheap and filling that is working well in our busy lives.

Lentils for Dinner

I know the rest of the country is warming up but here in the Bay Area we are finally having a bit of late winter/early spring mild weather.  Yes, I know it is actually almost summer! I was looking though my cabinets over the weekend trying to decide what to cook and I noticed I had 2 different open bags of lentils.  In my defense one bag was red lentils and the other was green lentils.

This is based on a recipe from Rachel Ray.  The original recipe is for supposedly for one person but she tends to be crazy when it comes to portion sizes.  I double the recipe and it makes at least 3 servings, if I am hungry, or 4 regular servings.

1 cup dry lentils (doesn't matter what color)
1 small onion chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of crushed garlic (divided)
2 inches grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
1 Persian cucumber chopped
2 handfuls of fresh mint, chopped
1 cup greek yogurt
salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan and add the onion, 1 clove of garlic, ginger and cumin.  Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes and then add the lentils.  Stir to coat the lentils with the onion mixture and then add the broth.  Bring to a boil and let simmer with the top slightly askew for about 20 minutes or until lentils are done.

While the lentils are cooking you can make the topping.  Mix the other clove of garlic, the chopped cucumber, the chopped mint and salt and pepper into the greek yogurt and set it aside to let the flavors meld.

Serve the lentils with the yogurt mix on top and some pita chips or a piece of pita bread (or both) on the side to dip in it.