Post-Workout Red Lentil Smoothie

When my favorite post-workout powder was discontinued I decided to come up with my own, made from whole foods, and pureed to keep it easy to drink and digest quickly.

While lentils do provide a fair amount of BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) which are supposed to be great for muscle recovery -- it was still only about half of what I was getting from my powder -- so I do eat a hard-boiled egg after my smoothie to compensate for the rest. Another thing that was missing from my Red Lentil smoothie was Vitamin C, so I have a piece of citrus fruit either before or after my smoothie as well.

This is still a great way to get post-workout protein and carbs quickly, and without all the sugar or sugar-substitutes!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp EVOO
3 medium carrots, roughly chopped
2 large rips celery, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup red lentils
4 cups water

Instructions:

1. In a 3 qt. saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add carrot, celery, onion and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir to combine, then cover and let vegetables sweat until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes
3. Add the lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and let simmer, covered, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and puree in blender, or in saucepan with immersion blender.
5. Pour into 4 Ball jars -- each jar just to the top of the "B"
6. To serve, add about 1/2 in. water and heat the jar in the microwave -- you can drink it right out of the jar!

Lentil Loaf with Brown Gravy

This recipe is adjusted from Christina Pirello's book "Cooking the Whole Foods Way." Christina recommends picking your favorite sauce from the back of the book, and I thought the Brown Sauce was the way to go -- I was not disappointed.

Here is my version of both the lentil loaf and gravy. Christina thickens the gravy with whole wheat pastry flour while I prefer corn starch. I also omitted the wakame from the lentil loaf. (I liked the broccoli as a side, and enjoyed dipping that in the extra gravy!)

Ingredients:
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
2 cups water
2 tsp EVOO
1 small onion, minced
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
Pinch of dried basil
Splash of soy sauce
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp umeboshi vinegar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

1. Combine lentils and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil, uncovered, 10 minutes.
2. Reduce heat, cover, and cook over low hit until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
3. Pre-heat oven to 350 and lightly oil an 8 x 4 in. loaf pan.
4. While lentils are cooking, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook stirring, 2-3 minutes.
5. Add carrots and celery and cook stirring, 3-4 minutes.
6. Stir in basil and soy sauce and simmer 2-3 minutes.
7. Combine cooked lentils, cooked vegetables, and oats. Stir in vinegar.
8. Press mixture into oiled loaf pan.
9. Bake 20-25 minutes until loaf is firmly set.
10. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
11. Serve with brown gravy (recipe below)

Gravy Ingredients:

1 tsp EVOO

1 onion, diced

Pinch sea salt

1 carrot, diced

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 tbsp corn starch

1.5 cups vegetable stock

soy sauce to taste

Gravy Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and a pinch of sea salt and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes.
3. Add carrot and mushrooms and another pinch of salt and cook until they all turn brown and caramelize, stirring frequently, 10-15 minutes
4. Dissolve corn starch in a small amount of vegetable stock and set aside
5. Pour in remaining vegetable stock and bring to a simmer
6. Stir corn starch slurry and pour into pot while stirring 
7. Add soy sauce to taste and simmer a few minutes more
8. Puree using blender or immersion blender.

Ellen's Greek Shrimp and Linguine

Ellen adapted this recipe from Shrimps Saganaki (Greek Recipe) posted on Allrecipes.com by MURDERSHEWROTE. Ellen added kalamata olives and fresh garlic to the original recipe, along with a few other tweaks.

Ingredients:

1 lb large shrimp (frozen, pre-cooked, shelled and deveined)

1 medium onion chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 cup wine, white or rosé

3/4 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (approx.)

1 clove garlic chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup kalamata olives, sliced in ½

6 oz French feta cheese

Linguine, 1 lb

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 

1. In large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil.
2. Add onions and garlic and sauté until soft.
3. Mix in parsley, wine, tomatoes, kalamata olives, salt and pepper.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes until sauce is thickened.
5. While simmering, defrost shrimp by running under cold water.  Pull off tails once defrosted
6. Start Linguine.
7. Add defrosted, cooked shrimp and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Add sliced feta and let stand until the cheese starts to melt.
9. Mix cooked linguine with all other ingredients and serve

Original recipe found here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/83933/shrimps-saganaki-greek-recipe/

Pinto Beans in Dijon Sauce

This recipe is adapted from Christina Pirello's Baked Pinto Beans in Dijon Mustard Sauce from her book "Cooking the Whole Foods Way" (not a reference to Whole Foods Market!) The original recipe calls for dried pinto beans, but I rarely plan far enough ahead for this and instead use canned; along with canned corn rather than fresh. I also do not bake the beans; making the whole dish in a pot on the stove.

Ingredients:
2 - 15 oz can pinto beans, liquid reserved
1 small onion, diced
2-3 stalks celery, diced
1 can whole corn kernels, drained

Dijon Sauce:
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup sesame tahini
2 T brown rice syrup
1 T barley malt
1 t umeboshi vinegar
2 t barley miso (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick saucepan.
2. Saute onion and celery until translucent.
3. Whisk together Dijon Sauce ingredients with 1 cup reserved liquid from beans.
4. Add beans, corn, and Dijon sauce to onion and celery.
5. Heat to desired temperature and serve.

Tuscan Bean Soup

This recipe is adapted from Wanderlust Kitchen's "Easy Tuscan Bean Soup." (Not that this one is any less easy!) I am not a big fan of zucchini or summer squash (not to mention it isn't in season), so I increased the other veggies to compensate. Also, I prefer fewer seasonings than the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 quart vegetable (or chicken) broth
• 2 (14 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices
• 3 (or more) cups chopped kale, ribs removed
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 6 quart or larger Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute for 4 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and rosemary. Cook 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the broth, beans, and tomatoes.
4. Bring the contents to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and add the chopped kale.
5. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of beans vegetables for texture.
7. Add the salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

http://thewanderlustkitchen.com/easy-tuscan-bean-soup/

Carne Guisada

This Carne Guisada is adapted from FIVEBRIGS recipe posted on AllRecipes.com. I prefer to cook both the meat and potatoes longer than the original recipe. The cubed meat is cut into bite-sized pieces so that it cook even more, and is easier to eat. I do not add any extra salt, and use a little more than the 2 cups of potatoes (unpeeled) called for in the original. Recently replaced tomato sauce with tomato paste and it made the sauce thicker - which I liked much better!

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 ounce) can canned tomato paste(!)
• 1/4 cup Sofrito sauce
• 1 (.18 ounce) packet Sazon seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2-3 cups cubed potatoes
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, combine tomato sauce, Sofrito, Sazon seasoning, Adobo seasoning, and oregano. 
2. Simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes.
3. Add meat, and cook until evenly browned.
4. Stir in just enough water to cover meat. Cover, and simmer for about 2 hours.
5. Add potatoes, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/52461/carne-guisada-iii/

New England Clam Chowder

This New England Clam Chowder recipe is adapted from Dave Lieberman's Clam Chowder on the Food Network (link below). The original recipe does not call for clam juice, but I had some on hand and it worked out well. It also called for heavy cream, but I used half-and-half without missing the extra milkfat.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

8 oz chicken stock

8 oz clam juice

2 (10-ounce) cans chopped clams in juice

8 oz half & half / heavy cream, or 12 oz can evaporated milk

1-2 bay leaves

1 pound Idaho potatoes, cut into 1/2- inch cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, melt 2 T butter on medium-high heat
2. Add celery and onion, a couple pinches salt and fresh cracked pepper
3. Saute until translucent
4. Add potatoes and 3 T flour and stir
5. Add chicken stock and clam juice, bay leaves, and clams with juice
6. Cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked
7. Add cream and heat to serving temperature (do not boil)
8. Add salt and pepper to taste

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/new-england-clam-chowder-recipe.html?oc=linkback