Red Lentil Veggie Burgers

I love having veggie burgers in the freezer — not the hockey pucks found in supermarket freezers, but ones I make myself and then freeze. They defrost well for a quick nutritious dinner.

Sometimes I make them with leftover lentil loaf, sometimes with chickpeas. The other day I made them with quick-cooking red lentils and curry spices. Panko breadcrumbs made them light and airy, and eggs ensured they held together.

I served them with a Corn and Tomato Salad, and our homegrown bush beans.

Best of all, most of them are now carefully stored in the freezer, ready for when I need a quick dinner.

Red Lentil Veggie Burgers
1 1/2 cups red lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped finely (3/4 cup)
4 medium carrots, finely diced (1 1/3 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
3/4 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Pick over the lentil and remove any small stones or debris. Rinse them well, then put in a large pot with cold water to cover by 2 inches. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a fine-meshed strainer. Set aside still in the strainer so they can continue to drain.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes. And the carrots and garlic. Cook until the carrots start to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cayenne. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the broiler.

Put the lentils in a large bowl. Add the contents of the skillet, the breadcrumbs, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir to blend.

Scoop out 1/4 cup at a time and put on 2 baking sheets lined either with sil-pats or aluminum foil. Gently pat into burger shape. You'll get 16-18 burgers.

Put one tray of burgers under the broiler for 6 minutes. Take it out and put the other tray in for 6 minutes while you flip the first lot of burgers. Repeat until all burgers have been cooked on both sides.

Serve warm.

Ethiopian Lentils

A standard dinner around here is beans, greens and grains. Within that structure, the possibilities for diversity are endless.

The other night the beans were lentils with Ethiopian spices, the grain was millet, and the greens were curly kale.

I seasoned the lentils with a spice combination I made recently and stored in a jar in my pantry. It has an aroma similar to the food I ate in an Ethiopian restaurant near my home in Montreal many years ago (if my nose is remembering right), wonderfully warm and spicy on a winter evening. It's more warming than heat-hot, so add cayenne as desired.

The spice recipe makes about a cup and will last about 3 months in a cool place, ready to be stirred into a pot of beans any time you're wanting a cozy meal.

I added roasted poblanos to the stew because I keep them in the freezer. (See my fall pepper prep here.) You could use fresh diced poblanos or even regular green peppers.

The lentils only take about 20 minutes to cook, but then this stew simmers for another 40 minutes or so for all the flavors to combine. The kitchen becomes fragrant, hungry diners hover, and finally it's time to eat.

Spice Mix
1/2 cup dried basil
2 tbsp whole cloves
1/2 tbsp allspice berries
1/4 cup ground ginger
3 tbsp fenugreek seeds
2-inch stick cinnamon
1 tbsp cayenne

Combine all in spice grinder and grind until smooth. This will stay flavorful in a cool dark pantry for 3 months or so.

Ethiopian Lentils
2 cups green lentils
2 large red onions, chopped
1/4 cup ghee or vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger root
1 carrot, chopped
2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp tomato paste
Ethiopian spice mix (above)
cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

Cook the lentils in 6 cups of water until tender, about 20 minutes. They should absorb most of the water. Drain them but reserve the cooking liquid.

Heat a large cast iron fry pan over high heat until very hot. Lower the heat a little and add the onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until they look a little browned and are starting to soften. This dry cooking of the onions adds great flavor. Lower the heat to medium, add the ghee, and stir in the garlic and ginger. Keep stirring for another minute, then add the carrot and poblano peppers.

Add a ladle of the lentil cooking liquid to the pan and stir in the poblano peppers, tomato paste, tomato paste and 1 tbsp spice blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This is the time to add a little cayenne if you want it hot - I generally don't. Add a little more of the spice blend to taste - I used a couple of tablespoons in total.

Add the lentils and half their cooking liquid to the pan. Let them simmer, uncovered, until they are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 40 minutes. Add more liquid as necessary so the stew stays moist.

Serves 4-6

Root Vegetable Pie

When the chilly winter evenings draw in, I feel the need to turn on the oven and cook something hearty for dinner.

The other night I combined roots and lentils in this simple casserole with a pie-crust top. It's a one-dish supper, although a side of sautéed greens would add extra color to the plate.

This is one of those meals everyone will love. If you can't find parsnips, use rutabagas or turnips or celeriac — whatever root vegetables you have. You can't go wrong with root vegetable pie.

Root Vegetable Pie
2 tbsp olive oil
2 potatoes, peeled and diced into bite-size pieces
2 parsnips, peeled and diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
3/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
14oz can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp nutmeg
pastry for 1-crust pie
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Sauté potatoes, parsnips, carrots and onions in olive oil for 5 minutes until soft. Add peas. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in lentils, tomatoes with their juice, bay leaves, salt, cumin and nutmeg. Cover and cook 10 minutes until soft, adding 1/2 cup water partway through so it stays moist. A little extra liquid is better than it being too dry.

Pour into a 2 quart shallow casserole. Dampen the rim of the dish. Roll the pastry out 2" wider than the dish. Cut a 1" strip off the outer edge of the pastry circle and line the rim of the dish with it. Dampen this with water and then put the pastry lid on top and seal well. Trim the edges and flute if desired. Cut small holes in the top to vent steam. Brush with the beaten egg.

Bake 45 minutes until golden.

Serves 8

Reheats well as leftovers.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

It's been chilly in LA this week - in the high 60s - great gardening weather. And in the cool evenings, the warmth of this baked lentil casserole has been welcome.

Green lentils are a good substitute for ground meat in chili - they add a similar texture. In this version of shepherd's pie they replace the ground lamb (or whatever meat is generally used). This is a filling casserole that is even better the second day.

Feel free to vary it by adding corn (traditional in the French Canadian version inexplicably called Pâté Chinois) or other vegetables. And if the mashed potato topping is your favorite part, double the number of potatoes you use. Add chiles or hot pepper (or serve hot sauce on the side) if you'd like a dish with a little kick.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie
1 cup green or brown lentils
4 medium potatoes
1 large onion
2 carrots
2 sticks celery
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp olive oil
14-oz can tomato sauce (not spaghetti sauce)
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp chopped parsley
paprika
2 tsp nutritional yeast flakes (Bragg's is a good brand)

Pick over lentils, discarding any small stones or clumps of dirt. Rinse them, then add to a pot with at least 3 cups of boiling water. Simmer, covered, until tender, about 30 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if necessary to keep them well covered. Drain and set aside.

Peel and chop potatoes. Place in a pot and cover with cold water and a sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes depending on the size of the potato chunks. Drain and mash. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Chop onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Warm olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the vegetables for a few minutes until the onion is starting to get translucent. Add a splash of water, cover the skillet, and let the vegetables simmer until tender, another 5 minutes or so. Stir in the tomato sauce, soy sauce, parsley and cooked lentils. Put in a 2-quart casserole.

Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the lentil mixture. Pat down with a fork - making a decorative pattern if you like. Sprinkle with paprika and nutritional yeast.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbling.

Serves 6-8

Curried Lentil Stew

Lentils make quick and easy highly nutritious dinners. The other night I cooked up some green lentils and sweet potatoes with a little curry powder, and then stirred in some spinach at the end.

I served the resulting stew with brown rice for a meal full of protein, fiber and minerals. Plus it tasted really good.

Curried Lentil Stew
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion
1 heaping tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
2 cups green lentils
28-oz can whole tomatoes
1 1/4 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 tsp salt
12 oz spinach, washed, large stems removed

Warm the oil in a large pot. Peel and chop the onion and add it to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the ginger root, garlic and curry powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add 2 cups water, the lentils, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally and break down the tomatoes.

Stir in the spinach and cook until it's heated through and wilted.

Serve over brown rice.

Serves 6-8

Lentil Salad with Apples

Lentils are a great way to quickly add protein to a meal. They cook in about 20 minutes, much faster than other dried legumes, but still have a great nutrition profile. They help lower cholesterol, balance blood sugar and strengthen the heart. They also contain lots of fiber which promotes digestive health.

The other day I turned some green lentils into this simple salad that I took to work along with some lettuce and an apple for an easy lunchbag meal.

Cooking the lentils with the carrots and apples made them a little sweet, which the lemon balanced out nicely. All together a good winter lunch.

Lentil Salad with Apples

1 1/2 cups green lentils

2 carrots, cut in 1/4 inch dice

2 fuji apples, cored and cut in 1/4 inch dice

zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pepper

Sort the lentils, wash them, and add them to a medium pot with 6 cups of boiling water. Add the carrots and apples and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the cooked, drained lentils and stir well. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Thanksgiving Preparations

Larry came home last night to the sight of three separate pots of beans boiling on the stove. One was for dinner and two were for the Thanksgiving lentil loaf in a squash.

"Something smells good," he said as he walked into the kitchen. And he was right. The gently-bubbling beans warmed the kitchen with an aroma promising a good meal. It's a hard one to describe, and those of you who think you don't like beans (or have only eaten canned beans) will not understand it, but when beans have become a regular part of your diet, smelling them cooking foretells a good filling meal in the way the smell of pot roast does to a meat-eater.

Larry has come to appreciate beans in a way that could not have been predicted 20 years ago. (Although when I met him he did cook a mean tofu stir-fry.)

When we were discussing the Thanksgiving menu a few days ago, he suggested that we go vegetarian. He had been thinking about what he was thankful for, and realized he was really grateful for the incredibly healthy (vegetarian) food we eat every day, the food that keeps him strong and vital when others in cubicles around him are dragging and sickly. While I was thinking of getting him a turkey part, stuffing and gravy from Trader Joe's, he was looking forward to celebrating with lentil loaf.

So our Thanksgiving table will look similar to the one we had last year when Tracie joined us and proclaimed her (short-lived) conversion to vegetarianism.

We'll have lentil loaf in a funky-looking squash, mashed potatoes, corn and peppers, green beans, and a salad with persimmons in it. Dessert will be a cranberry concoction - although we'll be too full so it will wait until Friday to be tasted.

It's a simple meal which, now the lentil loaf is cooked, will take a couple of hours to bring together. I plan to spend the day in the garden, and then we'll gather in the kitchen around 4 p.m. to chop and bake and mash these fresh delicious foods. Truly a day to be thankful for.

Lentil Loaf
1/3 cup trail of tears beans
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 egg
1 carrot, coarsely grated
1/2 cup grated aged cheddar
1 cup fresh wholewheat breadcrumbs
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp hot chili powder

Cook the beans and lentils in separate pots of boiling water until cooked all the way through. The lentils will take about 15 minutes, the beans about 90 minutes. When they're cooked, drain and set aside.

Warm the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion, garlic and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a food processor, combine the cooked beans and lentils, the cooked onion mixture and the egg, and process until smooth.

Transfer to a large bowl and add the carrot, cheddar, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, ketchup, cumin and chili powder. Stir together well, then pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.

Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

This is great warm or cold, in sandwiches, in a pumpkin, fried into burgers, served as slices with mashed potatoes and ketchup - any way you would eat meatloaf. (Although I'm not sure anyone has ever served meatloaf in a pumpkin.) It also freezes well.

Warm Lentil Salad

Lentils cook quickly, making them a good protein source on these warm summer evenings. The other night I tossed them while still warm into a garlicky vinaigrette with fresh herbs. Some toasted walnuts added texture, as did a roasted red pepper that I pulled from the freezer - the last of my stash, but fortunately pepper season is here again. A fresh red pepper would also be nice in the salad, adding crunch and color.

Serve the lentils with a green salad for a light supper that will tempt the jaded summer palate. Leftovers are good served cold.

Warm Lentil Salad
1 cup brown lentils
1 shallot, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp dijon
1 tsp oregano, chopped
1 tsp tarragon, chopped
1 tbsp chives, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1 red pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

Cook lentils in lots of lightly salted water until tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes.

Stir together shallot, garlic, white wine vinegar, dijon and herbs. Whisk in olive oil.

Drain the lentils and put in a bowl with the walnuts, red pepper and onion. Pour the vinaigrette over top and stir gently to combine.

Serve warm.

Serves 4

Heart-Healthy Soup

Tonight Larry and I will be eating leftovers.

Yes, I know it's Valentine's Day, and we should be eating a special, romantic meal. That was the plan. I had selected a tofu recipe which includes lemongrass from our beautiful garden. (Tofu is a great Valentine's Day food because it is good for the heart. I served it up a couple of years ago. You can read that story and a great tofu recipe here.)

Unfortunately, in re-reading the recipe I was going to cook tonight, I found that the tofu has to be pressed for 4 hours, then marinaded in the fridge overnight. Way too much work during the work week. So that recipe will be saved for the weekend, and tonight we will be eating soup.

But not just any soup. This soup, which we first ate earlier this week, is full of heart-friendly garlic. Garlic is well known for its ability to lower high blood pressure and tonify the cardiovascular system.  The split peas that form the bulk of the soup are full of soluble fiber which binds with cholesterol-containing bile and escorts it out of your body. They also help reduce the amount of plaque in your arteries.

The browned onion and garlic give the soup an intense flavor even without the use of vegetable stock.  The seasonings are inspired by a recipe in Ruta Kahate's book Quick-Fix Indian. The split peas make it a meal that sticks to the ribs - no crackers or biscuits required.

Split Pea Soup with Spinach
3/4 cup yellow split peas
4 oz spinach
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cumin seed
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Rinse the split peas and put in a pot with 3 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the peas are tender but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes. Do not drain.

Stem and wash the spinach and slice it thin.

In a 2-quart saucepan, warm the oil and sauté the onion until it is browned. Stir in the turmeric and coriander. Add the spinach and toss to coat with oil. Pour in the dal and its cooking water, and one more cup cold water. Stir in salt, bring to a boil, and simmer about 5 minutes.

In a small frypan, warm the ghee or oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seed and cook, covered, until the seeds stop sputtering. Add the garlic and cook until browned. Add to the soup. Stir and serve.

Serves 4

Bean Stew with Rosemary and Sage

This is the bean stew I served in a winter squash last week. I made enough that we ate it later in the week as well, spooned over rice.

I used a round yellowish bean the farmer I buy from calls barbecue beans. Navy beans or any other similar bean would do if you can't find barbecue beans. Adding lentils to a bean stew gives a good consistency, similar to the role ground meat or soy crumbles would play, but much healthier.

Yes, I put a whole head of garlic in the stew. But because it's roasted, you really can't tell. It adds a mellow richness to the dish. In flu season, it's good to eat lots of garlic. The rosemary and sage are also good anti-microbial herbs. I roasted the garlic in the toaster oven while the beans cooked. This is a dish which requires you to be home for a couple of hours, but that needs very little tending. The ingredients just roast and simmer away.

If you don't have fresh herbs, leave them out or use dried - about 1/4 of the amount.

Bean Stew with Rosemary and Sage
3/4 cup barbecue beans
3/4 cup brown lentils
1 head garlic
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
3/4 tsp minced fresh sage
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3/4 cups diced carrots
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp rosemary
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp salt

Soak the beans overnight or for a few hours in plenty of cold water to cover. Drain, add to a pot of boiling water, and simmer gently until tender but not mushy. Check after an hour, and thereafter every 20 minutes or so. When they are cooked through, drain and set aside.

Separately, simmer the lentils in plenty of water until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

At the same time, roast the garlic. Cut the top 1/3 off the head so the tops of the cloves are exposed. Put in a small casserole and sprinkle with the rosemary and sage, and pour the oil over top. Cover the casserole and bake in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook another 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven, lift the garlic out of the oil and set it aside to cool a little.

Warm the herbal garlicky oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté gently 5 minutes until tender. Add the carrots and smaller amounts of sage and rosemary. Stir to coat with the flavored oil, then add the tomatoes with their liquid. Stir to combine.

Squeeze the flesh of the garlic cloves out from the skin. Add the flesh to the pot along with the cooked beans, cooked lentils, and the salt and pepper to taste.

Cook, covered, about 10 minutes, until all the flavors are melded and the stew is hot, adding water as necessary to keep it a good consistency.

Serve with brown rice, or in a bowl with crackers, or in a baked squash as in the picture here.

Serves 6

Lentil Loaf

I know many vegetarians celebrate Thanksgiving with a Tofurky, but not me. I want something beautiful as my holiday centerpiece, not something that looks like a dead animal.

So this year I will be serving a squash or pumpkin (haven't decided which one!) stuffed with lentil loaf. It will be a truly festive and seasonal dish.

With it we'll have corn and carrots, creamed spinach, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and the persimmon and pomegranate salad I made last year. (You can read the recipe here.) With goat cheese walnut puffs as appetizers and apple pie with whipped cream for dessert, we will be suitably rotund when we rise from the table. That's okay, Friday we'll have Green Soup for dinner.

Unlike the lentil loaf I made a couple of years ago which fell apart at the table, this one will hold its shape. (I know because I made it today. On Thursday I will cut the top off the squash, take out the seeds, and stuff the already cooked lentil loaf in the cavity. Then I'll cook it at 375° for an hour, by which time with luck the pumpkin will be cooked through.)

If you are going to a non-vegetarian dinner, take a couple of slices of this loaf wrapped in foil and heat it in a corner of the oven for 10-15 minutes. As long as you're not somewhere bacon is added to every dish, you'll have great sides to go with it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lentil Loaf
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 sticks celery, chopped
1/3 cup kidney beans, cooked (or 1 14-oz can, drained)
1/3 cup brown lentils, cooked (or 1 14-oz can, drained)
1 egg
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup Cheddar, grated
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Sauté the onion, garlic and celery in the olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes.

Put the kidney beans and lentils in the food processor. Add the egg and the onion mixture. Process until smooth.

Pour into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, along with salt and pepper to taste.

Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Spoon the mixture in the pan, smooth the top, and bake one hour.

Let rest a few minutes before tipping out of the pan to serve. (Or let it cool in the pan.)

Can be served any way meatloaf is: with vegetables and mashed potatoes and gravy, cold in a sandwich, shaped into patties and dipped in breadcrumbs and fried like burgers, or as I will be doing Thursday - stuffed into a pumpkin.

Makes one loaf - enough for 8-10 servings.

Red Pepper and Lentil Soup

It's still hot during the day, but it's starting to cool off in the evenings. Last Sunday I made a lentil soup in the slow cooker that didn't heat up the kitchen, but warmed us up after dark.

I added a couple of the vibrant red peppers currently in season. Unfortunately they fade to brown when the soup is cooked, but they still add plenty of nutrients, including lycopene which helps prevent cancers of the lung and prostate. They've also been found to boost the metabolism, a boon to weight watchers everywhere.

I added chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to give the stew a smoky kick. Use less for a milder dish. For a different but good soup, throw in some diced fresh jalapenos or serranos when you sauté the red peppers. Or skip the chiles and stir a teaspoon of smoked paprika into the cooking peppers.

A bowl of this soup is a good light dinner. Serve it with a salad and some bread and cheese for a more substantial meal.

Red Pepper and Lentil Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion

6 cloves garlic

1 chipotle pepper in adobo

2 red peppers

1 cup brown lentils

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Dice onion and warm in oil until soft. Add chopped garlic and cook 1 minute. Chop the chipotle pepper, add to the pan, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Dice the red peppers and add them to the pan. Cook 3-5 minutes until beginning to soften.

Scrape into slow cooker. Add lentils and 5 cups water. Cover and cook on low 7-9 hours.

Add vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Serves 6.

Smoked Chilies

I was browsing the Mountain Rose Herbs website recently, putting together an order for tonic herbs, when I noticed they had smoked chili flakes. I had to buy some. Smoke is such an excellent flavoring in beans and barbecue sauce - getting chiles infused with it sounded great.

When the packet came, I opened it up and sniffed cautiously. Not cautiously enough. These chiles are hot and smoky. Yum. I added a spoonful to my favorite chili. I think I could have added even more, but I find with chiles it's best to start slowly. And it was an excellent stew. I served it with brown rice and sautéed greens.

Here's the recipe. If you don't have smoked chili flakes, you can use the regular kind. Add chili powder to your taste.

The smoked chili flakes will give a smokey flavor that will match well with the smoke of the fireworks on Fourth of July.

Chili
1 cup pinquito beans or pinto beans, dry
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1/4 cup oil
1 cup green lentils
6 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked flaked chiles
1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp paprika
14-oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup tamari
salt to taste

Cook beans in plenty of boiling water until tender, about 90-120 minutes depending on how old the beans are. Drain off the water.

Sauté onion, garlic and carrot in oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add cooked beans, dry lentils, spices and tomatoes with their liquid. Stir in 2 cups of water and bring to the boil. Simmer the chili, uncovered, for 1 hour, adding water as necessary so it doesn't dry out. Add the soy sauce and simmer another 30-60 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Serves 6. Even better reheated the next day.

Lentils with Garlic and Tomatoes

Lentils make a nice change from beans. They cook more quickly and have a delightful texture. I made this lentil stew the other day and served it with steamed greens, braised turnips, and roasted squash.

Lentils, like all legumes, help lower cholesterol and are full of beneficial fibers.

This recipe comes from A Taste of Africa by Tebereh Inquai.

I plundered my freezer for garden tomatoes I'd frozen last summer (see how I did it here), and also the serrano peppers I'd frozen in the same way. Canned chiles and tomatoes could be used instead.

Lentils with Garlic and Tomatoes
2 tbsp cold-pressed organic canola oil
6 cloves finely-chopped garlic
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup brown lentils
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
2 fresh green chiles, seeded and diced
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 cups boiling water

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan and gently fry garlic until slightly brown. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in brown lentils and cook until almost dry. Add salt, pepper, ginger, chilis and lemon juice. Then stir in boiling water. Cover and simmer gently 45 minutes to 1 hour until the lentils are tender. Serve with brown rice.

Serves 4.

Thick Lentil Soup

On these chilly days, I automatically reach for the lentils.

Nothing is as warming as having a big pot of lentil soup in the fridge, ready to be re-heated in the middle of a busy day of gardening, or eaten in the evening by the fire with hot rolls and butter.

Best of all, lentils are a very good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. They help your body lower cholesterol and keep your colon healthy. And like all legumes, they are good for the heart. They have significant quantities of folate which lowers homocysteine and magnesium which helps your veins and arteries relax.

This is the lentil soup we've been eating this week. It's actually more of a stew than a soup. You can serve it over brown rice, or add a little extra liquid and eat it as a thick soup.

Vary the recipe depending on what's in your fridge. I was going to add turnips, but they seem to have disappeared from the Hollywood Farmers Market. I fried up some cipollini onions, which add a sweet rich flavor, but regular onions would be fine too, or even the small white pearl onions. If you don't have fresh rosemary, use 1 tsp dried. Rosemary is good for the digestion, so it's a good herb to add to bean dishes if you don't eat them enough that your body is used to breaking them down.

Like all good soups, this one gets better with age. So make a big pot and enjoy it throughout the week, knowing that it is good for your body and soul.

Thick Lentil Soup
1 cup green lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
4 carrots, diced
1 leek
4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
28-oz can diced tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
8-9 cipollini onions
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp lemon juice

Put the lentils, onion, garlic, carrots, leek, potato, celery and rosemary in a large pot, and cover with a quart of water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 45-50 minutes until the lentils are tender.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Simmer gently.

Peel and halve the cipollini onions and fry in the vegetable oil until golden brown. Add to the pot.

Stir in lemon juice just before serving.

Serves 6-8

Eat More Vegetables

When the updated U.S. Dietary Guidelines were released recently, I rejoiced in one line: Make your plate half full of fruits and vegetables.

I think that's great advice. I've been suggesting it, and trying to follow it, for years. (Although I think fruit is less important than vegetables.)

The single-most health-promoting thing we can do is eat vegetables. They are full of nutrients and fiber, relatively low in calories, and even with added salt and butter are far healthier than any processed food from a supermarket or take-out joint.

You would think that as a vegetarian it is easy for me to follow this guideline, but it's remarkably challenging. Grains and beans are so satisfying that it's easy to eat more of them and less of the vegetables.

I was thinking of this last night as I ate a bowl of lentil soup. It was full of turnips and carrots, but was it half vegetable? I don't think so. But boy it was good. Since my lunchtime plate was almost all vegetables, and I had a big bowl of fruit at breakfast, I decided the day balanced out.

I really like the fresh taste of turnips - a little sweet, a little crisp, a little cabbagey. They have half the calories of an equal amount of potatoes, but are just as satisfying. They are a good source of Vitamin C, many B vitamins, and minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

This recipe works with old or young turnips. The combination of butter and olive oil gives a rich silkiness, but use just olive oil if you prefer. I pulled a batch of vegetable stock from the freezer. Soon it will be time to make some more, because a good vegetable stock is the secret to delicious soups.

Turnip, Carrot and Lentil Soup
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup carrot in 1/3" dice (2 medium)
1 1/2 cups turnips in 1/3" dice (2-3 medium)
3/4 cup green lentils
3-5 cups vegetable stock

Sauté onion in butter and olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned. Add carrots and turnips, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Wash and drain lentils. Add to pot along with vegetable stock and stir well. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until lentils are cooked, about 25 minutes. Add more water or stock as needed to keep a soupy consistency.

Serves 2-3 as a main course

Healthy Fast Food

I was asked the other day if I know any healthy take-out places.

Actually, I don't. I'm sure Whole Foods and similar stores have good prepared meals, but I've only eaten them cold while traveling.

When we do take-out, it's pizza (spinach on my half) or Thai from our local delivery place (spicy eggplant tofu!). It tastes good, and the next day we are swollen with salt.

If I want healthy take-out, I look to my freezer.

Last week I dug out a container of Lentils Burgundy. This is a great dish because it tastes good, freezes well, and can be turned into soup by adding more liquid. I make it with Two-Buck Chuck, not burgundy, and it is still delicious. (Lentils Chuck doesn't have quite the same ring.)

When I originally cooked it, I used the large brownish-green lentils I buy at the Hollywood Farmers Market. Lentils are a good source of protein (9 grams per half cup) and have lots of iron. They are also loaded with heart-protective nutrients, including folate and fiber. My dad would recommend serving them with a nice sausage. I've never found the need.

While the lentils were defrosting, I reheated some leftover sweet potatoes, and prepared some Tuscan kale. I washed the kale, removed the stems, and chopped the leaves coarsely. I sautéd half an onion and a clove of garlic in a little olive oil. When it was tender I added the kale and a chopped tomato, sprinkled on salt and pepper, and let it cook, covered, until tender, stirring occasionally so it didn't burn.

It was a good healthy meal in less time than it would take to call for delivery.

Lentils Burgundy
2 1/2 cups brown lentils, rinsed
6 cups water or vegetable stock - I used 3 cups of each
1 bay leaf
2 onions, diced
2 tbsp oil
3 carrots, diced
2 leeks, halved, washed well, and sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh
1 1/2 cups burgundy

Combine lentils, water or stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook until lentils are done, about 30 minutes. Don't drain.

Sauté onions and carrot in oil until tender, about 8 minutes. Scoop out and add to lentils. Sauté leeks in the same pan until soft but not browned. Add them to the lentils and cook gently until all the vegetables are tender. Then add the garlic, thyme and wine. Cook another 25-30 minutes until thick.

Serves 4-6.

Thanksgiving Dinner

This Thursday, vegetarians across America will be digging into Tofurkey.

Not I.

I don't want to eat turkey. Why would I want to eat fake turkey?

(Yes, I know the fowl in the picture are not turkeys - they're our neighbor's chickens. In this case, they are fake turkeys - tofurkeys!)

As I've mentioned before, I like the look of vegetables. If we were having company at Thanksgiving, I would serve a stuffed squash, or a vegetable pot pie, or a beautiful filo vegetable tart.

But it's just Larry and me this year. He's doing the Trader Joe's pre-cooked piece of turkey, stuffing and gravy. And I am going to make a lentil-nut loaf.

Like turkey, lentil-nut loaf makes great leftovers: cold in sandwiches; or patted into burger shapes, dusted with breadcrumbs, and fried. And the last piece will freeze well for a few weeks, quick to defrost for dinner.

This is one of my favorite loaf recipes, even though it's not baked in a loaf pan. It's light, with a nice crunch from the nuts, and good flavor from the mushrooms, tamari and fresh herbs. (You can use dried if necessary.)

The loaf can be made the day before and refrigerated. Reheat it, covered, in a 350° oven for 20 minutes until warmed through.

I'll serve it with mashed potatoes and calabacitas - a sauté of zucchini, corn, red peppers, jalapenos, and my favorite poblanos.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Lentil-Nut Loaf
1 1/4 lb green lentils
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced red and/or green peppers
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (1 slice bread)
1/2 tsp minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder
pepper to taste
1 tbsp tamari
2 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup shredded jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup water

Place lentils, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers and water to cover in a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain lentil mixture and cool slightly, 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place lentil mixture in large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into lightly greased 9" square pyrex dish, spreading evenly.

Bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before cutting and serving with gravy or tomato sauce.

8-10 servings.

Postscript: Make sure to cook the lentils until they're very soft. Otherwise you'll end up with lentil casserole, not lentil loaf.

Freezer Soup

People ask me how I cook healthy food every day.

I don't.

I make it a point to cook food that makes good leftovers or that freezes well.

For instance, I love freezer soup.

These are the containers of leftover soup that I pull from the freezer when I don’t feel like cooking.

Most soups freeze well. The exceptions are ones with pasta or milk - the pasta loses all its texture, and the milk can curdle when you reheat it.

All vegetable, bean and grain soups freeze well. I recommend using them within 3 months, but I’ve found 3-year-old soups in the back of the freezer and they’ve been fine - although I tend to eat those when I’m alone, just in case they’re weird.

If you don’t like the texture of a defrosted soup, puree it in the blender. If the spices seem a bit off, add some chopped raw potato to smooth it out. When it’s cooked, taste the soup again and re-season as needed.

I rarely need to doctor freezer soup. I just defrost and serve.

This is a soup I recently pulled from my freezer. It's also delicious served fresh from the pot.

Lentil and Vegetable Soup
1 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced carrot
3 tbsp diced shallot (optional)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 quarts vegetable stock or water
1 1/4 cup dried brown lentils
2 tsp whole-grain mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Sauté celery, onions, carrots, shallots, and garlic in oil until onions are translucent. Add vegetable stock and lentils. Cook uncovered until lentils are just tender but not too soft. Before serving, add mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Serves 4