Vegetarian Dinner Salad

I really don't know what to call this salad but it came about the other night when i was feeling vegetarian and wanted a complete full meal salad, some thing healthy and vegetal with plant based protein.   

serves 4.

Vegetable Barley Lentil Salad

1 cup pearl barley

1 cup french lentils

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise

5 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise

olive oil

s + p

1/4 lb peashoots, rinsed and dried (salad spinner is great for this)

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon squash seed oil  

1 tablespoon olive oil

pinch of cayenne pepper

about 12 cilantro leaves, chopped

4 teaspoons pepitas

4 teaspoons roasted sunflower seeds (salted or not is up to you)  

Cook barley in a small pot with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 45 minutes.   Fluff with fork and set aside.

Cook lentils in another small pot by covering lentils with water, no salt, and simmering for 30 minutes.  Drain lentils and set aside. 

Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss carrots with a splash olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.  Add asparagus to the sheet, toss with a splash of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast, carrots and asparagus for another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Make vinaigrette by whisking together champagne vinegar, lemon juice, squash seed oil and olive oil.  Add cilantro leaves, pinches of cayenne and s + p to taste. 

Toss carrots, asparagus and peashoots in vinaigrette.  

To serve, portion barley into 4 dishes, top with portion of lentils, then veggies.  Top each dish with one teaspoon pepitas and sunflower seeds.   

Chicken Lettuce Cups

This is really just a chicken stir fry served in lettuce cups but it's also good eaten on its own, over a salad or over rice.  (To keep things lighter, I like to use a spray bottle of olive oil to coat the pan before cooking chicken or veggies.)  Makes about 4 servings.  

Chicken Lettuce Cups

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cup into thin strips

2 tablespoons soy/tamari + 2 tablespoons soy/tamari

2 tablespoons rice vinegar + 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

dash olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 small bunch scallions, white part, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cup into strips

1 carrot, peeled, grated

1 cup red cabbage, thinly chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup peanuts, lightly crushed

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

juice of 1/2 lime

about 12 lettuce leaves, rinsed, dried

Marinate chicken strips in 2 tablespoons soy and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar for 15 minutes in the fridge.  Remove from marinade and cook in a hot skillet 10 minutes, pouring out liquids as needed.  (I like very well cooked and slightly caramelized chicken so i cooked mine for an extra 8 minutes or so.)  Set aside.  

Wipe out skillet and add a small amount of olive oil.  Saute onion 5 minutes.  Add scallions, ginger, garlic, bell pepper, carrot, cabbage, red pepper flakes and peanuts.  Cook about 8 minutes, stirring frequently so veggies don't burn.  

In a small bowl, combine sesame oil, fish sauce, remaining soy sauce and remaining rice vinegar.  Add this and chicken to skillet.  Add lime juice and stir to combine.

Serve in lettuce leaves.  

Chipotle Turkey Chili

This chili is spicy, satisfying and healthy.  Makes about 8 servings.  

Chipotle Turkey Chili

olive oil

1 lb lean ground turkey breast

s + p

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 large tins whole peeled tomatoes, blended smooth

1 cup water

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried oregano

4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon chipotle powder

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tin black beans, drained, rinsed

1 tin kidney beans, drained, rinsed

3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed a bit

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

In a skillet, cook turkey 10-12 minutes.  Set aside.  

In a large pot, sauté onion in a dash of olive oil about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, jalapeno, poblano and carrots.  Cook 5 minutes more until onions are clear and vegetables are glossy.  Add blended tomatoes, water, bay leaves, oregano, cumin and chipotle powder.  Simmer 25 minutes.  Stir in bell pepper, turkey, black beans, kidney beans, corn and vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper as needed.  

Blackened Fish Dinner

February hasn't included the healthiest of foods here on Meats and Sweets so here's a dinner idea to lighten things up.  

I used tilapia for this recipe but have decided that tilapia isn't my favorite fish.  Use any thin, white fish filets, like red snapper, bass, sole, founder... it's really up to you.  

To help ensure you're making ocean friendly choices in your seafood shopping take a peak at the Monteray Bay Seafood Watch Guide.  There is also a free app.  

Serves 2.

Blackened Fish

2 fish filets

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

pinch fennel powder

Lemon wedges, for serving

Combine all ingredients except fish, butter and lemon to make seasoning.  

Dredge fish filets in melted butter and sprinkle over both sides of each with seasoning. Cook in a skillet at high heat about 5 minutes on each side until blackened. 

Serve on sandwiches or with a side of vegetables.  I needed something fresh tasting so I served the fillets with vegetables packets.  It was carrots, yellow squash and zucchini folded into parchment paper with olive oil, thyme sprigs, lemon slices, salt and pepper.  Then it was baked in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 -12 minutes.  

Spicy Lentil Soup + Parmesan Toasts

Perfect soup for a snowy day, hearty and healthy with a spicy kick.  Also good served with rice or a side of sautéed leafy greens.

Spicy Lentil Soup

1 cup french green lentils

1 cup red lentils

drizzle olive oil

1 medium onion or leek, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

2 bay leaves

few sprigs fresh thyme

1 dried guajillo pepper, sliced in 1/2 and seeded

2 quarts vegetable stock

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1 - 2 parmesan cheese rinds

s + p

splash red wine vinegar, as needed

Parmesan Toasts

baguette bread, sliced

olive oil

parmesan cheese, grated

black pepper

For the Soup:  Rinse lentils thoroughly in cold water and carefully pick through for stones and other debris.  Set aside.  In a large soup pot sauté onion, carrot and celery in a drizzle of olive oil over med high heat until onions are clear, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, poblano, thyme and bay.  Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.  Add stock, guajillo, cumin, coriander, parmesan rind and lentils.  Wait to add salt until the lentils are almost done.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until green lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.  Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and maybe a little red wine vinegar.  Serve hot.  (Chopped fresh parsley and a small drizzle of olive oil are nice garnishes.)

For the Toasts:  Slice as many pieces of bread as you like.  Brush with oil and toast in a dry pan over medium heat.  Flip once and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Turn off heat.  Season with a turn or two of fresh black pepper.  Remove from pan.  Serve with soup.