Lentil-Mushroom Prosperity Pot Pie

This recipe was on my calendar menu and I was so excited about the idea of it that I made it a day ahead of schedule.   This is a really nice, comforting dish for a cold day.  Plus, lentils can be eaten to bring prosperity at the new year or any time of year.  Mushrooms provide some moon magic and earth magic.  Lentil-Mushroom Pot Pie is a bountiful, earthy meal.  Serve with some crusty rolls and a salad to make a complete meal.

Lentil-Mushroom Pot Pie - serves 6

1 cup lentils, washed and sorted

1 4-oz. package dried mushrooms (I used shiitake)

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced into half moons

2 small parsnips, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

4-5 cups vegetable broth, as needed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 tablespoons  grape seed oil

I sheet puff pastry, thawed

Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water.  Cover and allow to sit until ready to use.

Heat the oil in a large pot.  Add the parsnips, leeks, and celery and cook 5-7 minutes over medium high heat until fragrant.  Add the garlic and cook 2-3 more minutes.  

Add the lentils, mushrooms, mushroom broth, and vegetable broth or stock.   Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until lentils are tender, about 30-35 minutes.   Add extra broth or water if necessary to keep lentils from scorching.    If extra liquid remains, uncover the pot and allow it to reduce. 

Stir in the herbs and season with salt and pepper.

Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray.   Pour the lentil-mushroom stew into the casserole dish.   Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, sealing the seams. 

Trim the pastry to fit the casserole dish and place over the rim.    You can use an egg beaten with a teaspoon of water to help seal the pastry to the dish.  Brush the top of the pastry to help it brown, too.

Heat the oven to 450 F.   Bake the pot pie until pastry is puffed and golden brown, 25-30 minutes.  

Ain't Got No Meat? Whatcha Gonna Eat?

Just because I consider this a bit of a fast (a Pagan Lent? *L*) doesn't meant I can't still eat delicious, nourishing food.  Now, because I have a gastric band, I will have to drink at least one protein shake a day.  There is a lot of protein to be found in vegetarian substitutes, but I have some special dietary needs, so it will be whey protein to the rescue.  I'll be consuming some eggs and dairy as well.

I have sort of started developing recipes, but the real testing and development will happen in the moment, when the produce I want to use is actually in season.  For now, though, I have a list that I am working on.  Here are some of the dishes that I will be experimenting with during the period between the old and new year:

Linguine frittata with greens - chard, etc.
Lentil burgers - I'll experiment with different spices
Majahdra - lentils and rice flavored with fried onions
Tofu scramble - That recipe is posted on here somewhere
Butternut squash lasagna - Another recipe that is on this blog somewhere
Tofu stir-fry with veggies and probably a peanut sauce
Stuffed cabbage - Using my lentil-walnut loaf mixture as a stuffing
Stuffed mushrooms
Roasted vegetable enchiladas
Roasted carrot and parsnip soup
Wild mushroom soup
Mushroom and polenta pie

I'm also working on a grain or rice salad that features the colors of Samhain.  I will probably have some of that on Samhain to mark my transition.  

Those are just a few of the ideas I have. I'm sure I'll feel creative enough once the produce is in season and the stores are decorated with squash and other autumn goodies.   Stay tuned, as always, for recipes.

Imbolc

Imbolc is almost upon us. It’s time to start thinking about the growing strength of the sun, the approaching warmth, and the life that is lurking just below the surface of the frozen earth. Imbolc, or Candlemas, is a time to honor Brigid, a deity of fire, healing, and fertility. It is also a time to focus on the signs of spring and observe another turning in the Wheel of the Year.

Winter was a hungry time for our ancestors, and they look forward to springtime when they could enjoy fresh foods and begin to plant seeds. Appropriate foods include grains, seeds, winter vegetables such as potatoes and onions, raisins, and dairy foods. Fiery foods to honor Brigid and the growing sun are also appropriate.

Whip of a loaf of homemade bread, with or without raisins, to adorn your Imbolc table. Prepare a spicy curry to honor goddesses of fire and the hearth, or a creamy white custard to reflect purity and symbolize the melting snow.

My offering to you this Imbolc is a slightly sweet, creamy spiced korma that features winter vegetables. Serve with steamed rice and let this dish warm you from the inside.


Winter Vegetable Korma

3 cups winter vegetables – choose from: carrots, cauliflower, sweet potato, potato, rutabaga, cabbage, kale, broccoli (I used sweet potato, carrot, and cauliflower)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ cup coconut milk
Salt to taste
2-3 tablespoons cashew butter
Water as needed
2 tablespoons oil or coconut oil
Unsalted cashew pieces and chopped cilantro to garnish (optional)

Grind:
2-3 green chilis (seeded if you want to avoid too much heat)
5-6 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger

Place these ingredients in a food processor and grind to a fine paste.

Prep the vegetables by breaking broccoli and cauliflower into small florets. Peel the potatoes and cut everything into 3/4” pieces. Roughly chop the kale if using.

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and fry 5-6 minutes. Soften, do not brown. Add the paste and fry 3-4 more minutes. Sprinkle in the powdered spices and stir to coat. Cook one more minute.

Add the vegetables . Pour in about 1 cup water. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are almost tender and most of the liquid is gone.

Blend in the cashew butter and coconut milk. Simmer another 3-4 minutes, until sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt to taste.

Serve with hot basmati rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and unsalted cashew pieces, if desired.

Serves 4

Quick Veggie Chili

This chili is chock full of protective ingredients, it's quick to throw together, and it's pretty darn tasty.

I used:

1 650-gram bag frozen beans (barbunya) +
1 small can red kidney beans
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 banana peppers, seeded and chopped
1.5 cups frozen corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
2 tablespoons chili powder (I can't get this ingredient here, so I left it out)
salt and pepper to taste

Optional: 1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein), reconstituted for 10 minutes in boiling water (another ingredient I wasn't able to acquire)

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Start by cooking the onion in a heavy soup pot. Soften for about 5 minutes. Add the pepper and soften for another 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Adding a little salt will let the allow the vegetables to "sweat" and should be added when the peppers are put in.

Stir the spices into the onions and peppers. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste and stir well. Put in the beans and add enough water to cover them. Allow the beans to simmer until they are thawed and tender (if using frozen). If only using canned beans, add beans and corn at the same time. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Chili is better the longer it simmers, but you can certainly eat it after 25 minutes. If using cilantro, add it at the end of cooking so the flavor stays fresh. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

The chipotle powder adds a really deep, smoky flavor, plus a touch of warmth. I used a type of frozen bean because they are more common than canned and I didn't have time to cook dried beans. You can use any combination of beans that you want. I had red kidney beans and a type of white bean with flecks of red. They're known as "barbunya" here.

Honey-Sesame Tofu

I used to hate tofu, but I learned to like it a few years ago. Normally when I order it at a Chinese restaurant it's deep fried, which kind of misses the point. It's a light, low-fat, high-quality protein. I really like it now that I have a band in my tummy. It's nice and soft and doesn't get stuck on the way down :)

This is a recipe that I have made with other forms of protein too. I've used chicken and shrimp (my favorite). It works really well with all three, and you can adjust the sauce to taste. The sauce only has 3 ingredients (4 if you had red pepper flakes).

To begin, you need:



1 block of firm tofu, pressed, drained, and sliced
corn starch to dredge the tofu

And for the sauce:
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp toasted sesame oil (yum!)

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds if you like

Dredge the slices of tofu in corn starch. This is the key to crispy, delicious tofu. Fry the slices of tofu in a nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray or a little olive oil. Let it cook for a few minutes on each side, until it is brown and crispy. GIve it about 5 minutes on one side, and 3-4 minutes on the other.

Whisk together your sauce ingredients and pour over the tofu. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for just a couple of minutes, to glaze the tofu. Add the toasted sesame seeds once it's plated.





I served mine with Basmati rice and a frozen vegetable mix. The vegetables were tossed with 1 minced clove of garlic and 1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger. I also added a couple splashes of soy sauce.

Nom!

Mercimek Koftesi - Red Lentil Patties

Today I decided to make a couple of my favorite Turkish dishes. These savory lentil patties are a mezze dish - a cold appetizer. They make a great meat-free meal on their own, served in lettuce leaves with a squeeze of lemon.

Ingredients



Red lentils - 1 cup
Fine bulgar - 1 cup
Tomato paste - 2 tablespoons
Green onions - 2 or 3, finely sliced
Parsley - 1/2 bunch, finely chopped
Cumin - 1 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes (optional) - 2 tsp

Rinse the lentils and cook them in 3 cups of water for 10 minutes. Add the bulgar. Stir, cover and turn off the heat. Allow to sit for about 20 minutes.



Using a spoon, finely mash the lentils to a paste. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and chill for 1 hour. When chilled, form into patties. Chill until times to serve.






I like to serve mine with more garlic-dill yogurt.