Spicy, Minty Lentils & Broccoli

SPICY, MINTY LENTILS & BROCCOLI

I love this recipe so much because it’s easy (~10 mins to prep), healthy (complete proteins & green stuff!), and has lots of different layers of flavor (literally). It’s great to make ahead for a tasty weekday office lunch - just leave off the sauces & mint until right before you eat it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli, chopped

1 serving prepared rice, quinoa, or mixed grains

1/4 package Trader Joe’s cooked lentils

2 Tbsp avocado oil

1 Tsbp olive oil

Splash lemon juice

Sprinkling of garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper & smoked paprika

2 Tbsp Trader Joe’s zhoug sauce

2 Tbsp hummus (preferably roasted garlic)

Approximately 12 mint leaves, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Heat cast iron pan on high heat. Add avocado oil when hot.

2. Add broccoli and cover, allowing to cook on high for several minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and spices. Continue cooking for several minutes until broccoli is tender and charred, stirring occasionally. Add olive oil at the end of cooking and set broccoli aside.

3. Heat lentils in the pan, adding a bit of olive oil if necessary.

4. Layer the cooked grains and lentils into a bowl. Cover with broccoli. Add a layer of hummus and zhoug. Sprinkle with mint. 

5. Enjoy! 😋

STICK-TO-YOUR-RIBS POTATO & BROCCOLI SOUP

So good, your kids may even eat it.

Caveat:  I'm not sure how *real* potato broccoli soup is made...I've never made it nor even seen a recipe.  I totally made this up on the fly after a failed attempt to make potato pancake thingies, and I liked it a lot (and so did 1/2 of the kiddos), so here it is!

Ingredients:
(3-4 entree servings)

5-6 smallish red, purple and/or yellow potatoes
1 tomato (I used a huge heirloom)
Garlic powder
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 bag Trader Joe's organic broccoli florets
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese + extra for garnish
1/4 carton Trader Joe's low sodium veggie broth

Directions:

1.  Preheat toaster oven to 350.  Poke holes in tomato, cut out center and fill/sprinkle with olive oil and dusting of garlic powder.  Wrap in foil and heat in toaster oven until warmed, then thickly slice.

2.  Poke holes in potatoes.  Nuke together in a circle on a plate for 3 minutes on one side, 2 minutes on the other side.

3.  Nuke broccoli in open bag or in bowl covered with microwave-safe plastic wrap for 2-3 minutes until soft.

4.  Add 2 slices tomato, broccoli, whole potatoes, and all cheese (except garnish) to a large food processor.  Process until completely smooth (will be extremely sticky and may even stop up the processor).

5.  Scoop potato mixture into pot over low-medium heat.  Immediately add enough broth to cover and stir well.  Continue stirring and adding broth until all lumps are gone and soup has reached desired consistency.  You can use a hand blender in the pot if necessary.

6.  Serve immediately with extra cheddar cheese for garnish with toasted sourdough slices on the side.

Notes:

*Can use raw tomato to speed the process.

*Add 1/2 jalapeno to the mixture before processing to add some pizzazz.

*Letting a kid put her own cheese on top of her soup seems to increase the likelihood of said kid eating said soup (at least according to my own entirely non-scientific research).

COUS COUS CASSEROLE

COUS COUS CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

(Makes 3-4 servings)

1 head broccoli, florets only

1/2 package Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend (Israeli cous cous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa) or 1 cup brown rice and 1 cup garbanzo beans

1 cup Trader Joe's canned Tuscano marinara sauce or other chunky marinara sauce

1 cup Trader Joe's shredded Quattro Formaggio or other shredded, pungent cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 or so heirloom or cherry tomatoes

2 tsp. crushed garlic

Garlic powder, to taste

[Optional: red pepper flakes]

Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon

Splash of olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Steam broccoli florets for 5-7 minutes.

3. Prepare Harvest Grains according to package (using only a splash of olive oil and simmering at least 5 minutes longer than package suggests), mixing in crushed garlic and tomatoes while simmering.

4. Mix broccoli, grains, marinara sauce, lemon juice, [red pepper], most of the cheese and some garlic powder in a casserole dish.

5. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

6. Cook uncovered in the oven for at least 15 minutes.

Notes:

*If your kid picks up a head of broccoli at Trader Joe's and says, "This one looks yummy Mommy! Let's get this!", you ask no questions, you just buy it and figure out what to do with it later. And thus, a new dish is born.

*Be careful to stir the grains well while cooking and probably add more water more frequently than package says to.

*Kids can help by stirring the mixture in the casserole dish and sprinkling the extra cheese.

*This is so easy and fast, and yet has been known to elicit the coveted "Yum!" from a real-life, picky three year old as well as a grumpy, tired hubby.

MO'ROCKIN QUESADILLAS

MO'ROCKIN QUESADILLAS

Sorry for the cheesy (ha!) name...

I use almost exclusively ingredients from Trader Joe's, so for those of you who don't live in close proximity to a TJ's...I'm so sorry. No really, I am. You have to move.

Ingredients:
(Makes 4-6 quesadillas)

3 medium yellow potatoes
1 onion, diced
[Optional: 1 jalapeno, very finely diced]
1 head "broccoflower" (broccoli/cauliflower hybrid) or cauliflower
2 teaspoons garlic, minced or crushed
Olive oil
Handful fresh mint leaves, chopped or cut with scissors
Salt
Black pepper
Cumin (approximately 2 tsp.)
Paprika (approximately 1 tsp.)
Coriander (approximately 1 tsp.)
Juice and some pulp of 1 Meyer lemon
1/2 bag Trader Joe's shredded pepper jack cheese or other shredded cheese
1/2 container Trader Joe's Raita Indian yogurt dip or plain yogurt
4-6 Trader Joe's whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes in enough water to cover for 30 minutes.

2. While potatoes are boiling, steam broccoflower for 5-7 minutes and set aside.

3. Heat lemon juice and a touch of olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add onions and garlic [and jalapeno] and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

4. Add the mint, coriander, cumin, pepper and salt to the pan and stir well. Cook 3 minutes.

5. Rinsing the potatoes in cold water, remove the skins. Add warm potatoes and broccoflower to the pan. Break up potatoes and broccoflower with a fork and stir well.

6. Add more salt, lemon juice and garlic powder to taste.

7. Cook a while longer, stirring and mixing to coat all ingredients with spices. Add a bit more olive oil as necessary.

8. Heat each tortilla over a medium flame. Sprinkle one half generously with cheese, spread with a heaping spoonful of potato mix, sprinkle with more cheese, then fold over the tortilla in half.

9. Microwave for 30-40 seconds, or until cheese is melted but not runny.

10. Serve in slices with Raita or yogurt for dipping.

Notes:

*Kids can help by sprinkling the cheese into the tortillas (something my pun'kin loves to do, though I think she eats more than she sprinkles.)

*Careful not to undercook the potatoes at all or you will think you are eating dirt (i.e., they will taste too earthy and be too grainy).

*I really think the tortillas need to be whole wheat in order for the flavors in this to come together.

*If you don't like mint, what is wrong with you? No, I mean, you could use cilantro instead.

*These aren't too bad for you since they use very little oil, and you could make it even healthier by using low fat shredded cheese.

*A dude with a steel rod through his eyebrow at Trader Joe's told me that "raita" is pronounced "rye-tha." I chose to believe him.

COLORFUL CURRY

COLORFUL CURRY
(Makes 3-4 entree portions)

Ingredients:

1-2 cups free-range, organic chicken or veggie broth
2-3 tsp. crushed garlic
Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 russet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
10 baby carrots, sliced diagonally into thirds
1 bag Trader Joe's fresh broccoli/cauliflower
1/2 red onion, thickly sliced
10 tomatoes (Roma or similar), chopped
1-2 tsp. curry powder
1-2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 can Trader Joe's light coconut milk (or other milk/cream)
1/4 cup seedless raisins

Directions:

1. Place potato chunks in a covered casserole dish and microwave for 7 minutes, stirring once or twice.
2. Cover the bottom of a deep sauce pan with broth and heat over low-medium heat.
3. Stir into broth crushed garlic, lemon juice and cumin. Heat until fragrant and beginning to bubble, approximately 3 minutes.
4. Add potato to pan and mix well.
5. Cover pan and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add carrots and broccoli/cauliflower to pan, stir, recover, and continue simmering for a few minutes.
7. Add tomatoes and onion. Add additional broth as needed to keep mixture moist and with a bit of liquid in the bottom of the pan. Recover and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.
8. Stir in raisins, curry powder, garlic powder, salt, and coconut milk. Recover and continue cooking.
9. Continue stirring and cooking until some of potato and tomato are disintegrated and mixed in with sauce, and broccoli and cauliflower are tender, approximately 5-10 more minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sauce from sticking to the pan.
10. Serve with brown rice and garlic naan.

Notes:

*Add garbanzo or lentil beans to make a complete protein, or serve with a lentil dish on the side.

*My favorite tomatoes are the small, on-the-vine Campari tomatoes from Costco.

*Add chili powder along with curry powder for more of a kick.

TOO-GOOD-TO-BE-TRUE ENCHILADAS

TOO-GOOD-TO-BE-TRUE ENCHILADAS

Ingredients:
(Makes 4 enchiladas with some stuffing leftover)

3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Trader Joe's Minced Garlic
1/2 red onion, julienned
1/2 red pepper, julienned
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1 bag Trader Joe's fresh broccoli/cauliflower
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups Trader Joe's shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 bunch of cilantro, cut or chopped
[Optional: 1/2 bag Trader Joe’s frozen organic brown rice]
4 Trader Joe's olive oil wheat tortillas
1/2 jar Trader Joe's salsa verde
4 tbsp. Trader Joe's 2% Greek Style plain yogurt
Black pepper
Lime juice
Garlic powder
Cumin
[Optional: cherry tomatoes, radishes]

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Snip corner of broccoli/cauliflower bag; microwave on high for 3 minutes and set aside. [If using rice, snip corner of rice bag and microwave for 3 minutes.]
3. Heat oil over medium heat; saute minced garlic, jalapeno, onion and red pepper until onion is transluscent, about 4 minutes.
4. Transfer onion mixture to a big bowl; mix in veggies, beans, 2 cups cheese, and cilantro [and rice]. Add black pepper and cumin to taste. Break up broccoli/cauliflower with spoon.
5. Heat tortillas one at a time in the pan until warm but still pliable.
6. Lightly coat a baking dish with nonstick spray.
7. Place 1/3 cup of veggie mixture on one edge of each tortilla, roll, and place in dish.
8. Cover enchiladas with salsa and sprinkle with leftover cheese.
9. Bake for 15-17 minutes.10. Mix yogurt, lime juice, cumin, pepper and garlic powder [and chopped tomatoes, radishes, extra cilantro, and/or extra jalapenos] in a small bowl. Sprinkle or spread over baked enchiladas and serve with extra cilantro leaves as garnish.

Notes:

*Good as a "new baby" gift - just prepare up through step 8 in disposable cooking tray and deliver immediately with garnish and yogurt sauce in separate container. And leave out the jalapenos for nursing mamas!
*Can easily add canned chicken or cooked small shrimp to veggie mixture.
*Makes an impressive dish but is really easy and quick!
*Freeze any leftover veggie/cheese mixture and thaw before proceeding with step 5.
*Kids can help by stirring the veggie mixture.