Turkish Carrots and Lentils

Look at my beautiful Staub! We received this as a wedding gift and I was so happy and it was so precious to me that it took me forever to use it.

I like the idea of this dish because it has 1 lb of carrots and carrots don't get the spotlight too often (and I love them). I also love that it's lentil based, as lentils are much better than beans (to me anyway).

And while I did enjoy this dish, I also admit that it lacked some flavour. A bit of spices could really help here. Maybe some smoked paprika and thyme? (I have no idea if that would taste good I was just googling Turkish spices and those 2 sounded good to me! I also have some sumac from my visit to Turkey last year and have yet to use it.)

I'm off to Trader Joe's today!!!! So excited.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Lemon Curried Lentils and Potatoes
Dal Makhni
Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Turkish Carrots and Lentils
Adapted from Cooking Light Way to Cook Vegetarian

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 lb carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups water
1 cup uncooked dried green lentils
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomato paste and chili pepper flakes, stir for 30 seconds. Add the carrots and 1/4 tsp salt and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a separate large pot, bring 3 cups water and the lentils to a boil. Cover, reduced heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to medium-high, and stir in onion/carrot mixture. Cook for 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp salt and ground black pepper.

Lemon Curried Lentils and Potatoes

I often overlook recipes with potatoes, but I'm really happy this one caught my eye. Potatoes are combined with lentils and onions that are sauteed with garlic, ginger and spices. Then it's all mixed together with some soy sauce and lemon. So yummy and a new favourite way to eat lentils.

I also recently tried a sort of similar dish from Eats Well With Others - lentil, potato and pumpkin curry. This one has a can of tomatoes, pumpkin puree and a bit of a different spice mix.

So in my mind I was comparing these two dishes that both have potatoes, lentils and curry. I much preferred the lemon curried lentils and potatoes to the lentil, potato and pumpkin curry. This is likely at least partly due to the fact that I messed up and added twice as much of some of the spices in the pumpkin curry (like the coriander and cumin). But I liked how the lemon curried dish was more dry and a bit sour from the lemon. The pumpkin curry was very saucy and almost soupy. I'd suggest not adding the 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth.

PS - Today is my 6 year dating anniversary with E! (Yes I want to celebrate both our wedding anniversary and dating anniversary. Nothing wrong with using them both as excuses to do something special!)

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Dal Makhni
Pasta with French Lentils and Kale
Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets
Pumpkin Lentil Curry

Lemon Curried Lentils and Potatoes
Adapted from ExtraVeganZa

Serves 6

I'd suggest serving this with a side of vegetables - maybe some roasted beets and carrots, or some sauteed kale, or a salad.

2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup green, brown or French lentils (I used French)
4 1/2 cups medium potatoes, cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Boil water in a medium pot with the salt and lentils. Cover, reduce to simmer and cook the lentils for about 45 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.

While the lentils are cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the potatoes and boil about 15-20 minutes, or until soft. Drain the potatoes and set aside.

In a frying pan on medium heat, heat the olive oil then saute the onions, garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry, turmeric and black pepper. Stir occasionally and cook until the onions begin to turn translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine the lentils, potatoes and onion mixture in the large pot. Stir in the soy sauce and lemon, and serve warm.

Dal Makhni

I love easy and simple lentil dishes like this. They're great for healthy and filling weeknight meals. E wasn't a huge fan of these lentils, but I liked the flavour from the cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, garlic and ginger. Paired with rice or quinoa and some steamed broccoli and cauliflower, or roasted beets and carrots, it's a perfect meal for me.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Pumpkin Lentil Curry
Pink Beans with Cardamom Yogurt Sauce
Spicy Indian Chickpeas/Chana Masala
Indian Stir Fried Cabbage

Dal Makhni
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

Serves 4 (with rice and vegetables)

1 cup green lentils
2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves
1" piece of cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 green cardamom pods
2 tsp minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 cups tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup cashews
2/3 cup water

In a pot, bring the lentils and 2 cups water to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 40 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cooking until caramelized, being careful not to burn. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and cardamom pods and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils.

Blend the cashews in a blender, slowly adding the 2/3 cup water until a rich cream forms. Stir this cream into the lentils. If you want to be fancy, reserve some of the sauce to drizzle over top for serving.

Pasta with French Lentils and Kale

I love all the stuff in this pasta dish, but especially the lentils and kale. I didn't expect much of this recipe, but I was looking for a recipe to use up kale so thought I'd try it. And it's actually quite good for such a simple and healthy recipe.

I know I've mentioned before that sometimes when I look back at the food I've photographed for the blog, I can't remember what some of it is. Drives me crazy. It only took me 4 years to figure out a better system! I'm now keeping a notepad file where I write all of my meals to blog about and the date, as I make them. I have no idea what this dish above is. And since it was both not very memorable and doesn't look that appetizing, I guess that's no real loss. My best guess is that it's Thai red curry, from The Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Lime Peanut Noodles with Seitan and Kale
Spaghetti and Beanballs with Onion & Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce
Artichoke Rotini Pasta
Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta

Pasta with French Lentils and Kale
Adapted from The Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health

Serves 4

1 cup French green lentils (or other lentils)
3 cups water
8 oz chunky-shaped whole grain pasta
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cups chopped kale
2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
Ground black pepper

1. In a covered saucepan, bring the lentils and water to a simmer. Cook covered until tender but firm, about 20 minutes. Drain, cover, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large covered pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking liquid, and drain.

3. While the pasta cooks, in a skillet on medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened. Add the garlic and salt, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots, paprika, and red pepper flakes and cook until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the kale and about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and cook until the kale is tender, adding more water if needed. Stir in the thyme and tomatoes and remove from the heat.

4. In a serving bowl, toss together the cooked lentils, the pasta, and the vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets

I was so skeptical of this lentil dish. While lentils are my favourite legume, this dish seemed too simple to be good. Just some veggies, raisins, garlic, curry powder. But it's actually really good. Really really good. In a kitchen where I don't often repeat recipes, this one has already been made several times. It's easy to make, healthy, and super tasty (this appears to be the holy trinity for me). The addition of raisins might be my favourite part. I like eating it with some brown rice, but any other grain would be good too.

Abby time!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Pumpkin Lentil Curry
Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot & Red Lentil Soup with Ginger
Sunflower-Lentil Pie
Spiced Squash, Lentil and Goat Cheese Salad

Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets
Adapted from Vegetarian Times May/June 2010

Serves 4

3/4 cup dry green or brown lentils
2 cups finely diced sweet potato (about 1/2 lb)
1 large red bell pepper, diced (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup frozen green peas
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
Salt & pepper
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1. Cook the lentils in at least 2 cups of water for about 25-30 minutes, until soft but still firm.

2. Preheat oven to 400F. Place 4 16-inch lengths of foil on work surface. Fold foil in half from short side. Unfold. Shape corners and edges of one half into semicircular "bowl" with 1/2-inch sides.

3. Combine sweet potato, bell pepper, peas, raisins, oil, ginger, garlic and curry powder in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Divide sweet potato mixture among packets; top with 1/3 cup lentils. Pour 1/4 cup broth over lentils. Fold other half of foil over ingredients, and crimp edges in overlapping folds until packets are sealed. Transfer packets to baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes.

Spiced Squash, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad

I've never been a big fan of goat cheese (it always tasted like blue cheese to me which I don't usually like), but it's really starting to grow on me. I wouldn't sit down and eat it on its own, but mixed into things like this salad or these scones, it can be quite nice. I enjoyed this salad, though wouldn't say it's a new favourite. It kind of reminded me of this Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad. I think I might not be a fan of lentils in salad. Or maybe I like my leafy salads leafy, and my lentil/bean salads grainy. However, I really liked the smoked paprika roasted butternut squash in this salad. It smelled amazing when it was baking. I think anything coated and baked in smoked paprika would be delicious!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Warm Roasted Pumpkin & Shallot Salad
Potato Salad Niçoise
Greek Barley Salad
Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill and Lemon

Spiced Squash, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad
Adapted from Bon Appétit | October 2009 by Ross Dobson

Makes 6 servings

3/4 cup green lentils
6 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded butternut squash (from about one 2-pound whole squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups mixed greens
1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.

Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over.

Lentil Veggie Burrito Casserole

Yikes I'm sorry for once again disappearing!! These past couple of weeks have been ridiculously busy. I just finished school on Thursday, not for the semester but forever. Wow finished school, it's still hard to believe. I still have my practicum to do and the certification exam, but classes are over!! Okay enough about me.

This may not look like much, but has fast become one of my favourite meals. Healthy, filling and tasty. The original recipe has you make chimichangas, filled with bell peppers, onions, zucchini, fennel seeds (looooooove this addition) and lentil tomato sauce. Frying the burritos isn't something I really want to do, and while I do love burritos, I've found it much simpler to make a sort of burrito casserole. (Though the photo shows when I attempted to fold them into burritos.) Much quicker and easier to make and it tastes the same. Oh and the lentil tomato sauce? I'm often not a fan of tomato sauces, but this one is really yummy. And I love that it's full of lentils and thus protein!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Tracy's Lentil Loaf
Sweet Potato Badi
Black Bean and Zucchini Chilaquiles
Chayote and Corn Enchiladas

Lentil Veggie Burrito Casserole
Adapted from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
1 bell pepper, diced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/8 tsp sea salt
4-6 whole wheat tortillas (depending on the size of the tortilla, when I have tiny ones I use 6 tortillas)
"Hide the lentils" tomato sauce, recipe below

Preheat oven to 425F. In a frying pan on medium heat, add 1/2 tbsp oil, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, fennel seeds, salt and pepper, and saute for 6-7 minutes, until veggies are slightly seared and onions soften.

In a 9x13 dish, place half of the tortillas, spread them out evenly and ripping them up if necessary to fill gaps. Spoon on the vegetable mixture and about half of the lentil tomato sauce. Place the remaining tortillas on top, spreading them out as you did with the bottom layer. Pour the remaining lentil tomato sauce on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

"Hide the Lentils" Tomato Sauce
Adapted slightly from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan

1/2 tbsp olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup dry red lentils
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup water
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp agave nectar
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

In a large pot on medium-low heat, add oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes (reduce heat and/or add a few drops of water if needed to prevent garlic from burning). Rinse lentils. Add lentils, tomatoes, water, rosemary, basil, agave nectar and bay leaf. Increase heat to high to bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 22-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are fully softened. Uncover and simmer for 3 minutes to reduce liquid. Remove bay leaf.

Tracy’s Lentil Loaf

I've never tried making a lentil loaf, but I love lentils, especially red lentils, and I love vegetarian loaves like this so thought I must find a recipe and try it out! Plus vegetarian loaves are so much easier to make than burgers, which tend to fall apart. I liked this loaf and would make it again, but also want to try out some other versions to see what else is out there. (Please share if you have a favourite!) This lentil loaf was super easy to make and very versatile. I love how there are so many options for each thing, like you can use oats, rice, millet or bulgur. And for the sauce - barbecue sauce, tomato sauce or salsa.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Mushroom Pecan Burger
Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad
Greek Red Lentil Soup with Lemon, Rosemary and Feta Cheese
Sweet Potato Badi

Tracy’s Lentil Loaf
Adapted from Whipped

Makes 4-6 servings

3/4 cup dry red split lentils, cooked
1 cup oats (or leftover rice, millet or bulgur)
1 cup grated organic cheddar cheese
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (tomato sauce or salsa)
2 organic eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (parsley, scallions, chives or mix)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano

(The options I chose: oats, tomato sauce, 1/2 cup green onions + 1/3 cup parsley)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour mixture into oiled loaf pan or casserole dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad

If I were given the choice between beans and lentils, most of the time I'd pick lentils. And as a vegetarian I definitely need to be picking at least one of them! Sadly, I don't seem to come across many lentil recipes. At least not compared to bean recipes. (So please share your favourite lentil recipes with me!)

So one day I went searching for lentil recipes and came across this one on Epicurious. Looking at the ingredient list I was kind of skeptical (mint mixed with the arugula for the greens? no real added flavour except for salt, pepper, vinegar and garlic?) but it got really good reviews so I gave it a try. And I liked it. It's just a nice, fresh salad that's great to eat as a meal. The flavours are simple with salt, pepper, vinegar and garlic but it's good. And this salad can easily be made vegan by omitting the feta.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Greek Barley Salad
Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill and Lemon
Broccoli Slaw
Portobello Salad with Mustard Dressing

Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad
Adapted from Gourmet | September 1995

1 cup brown lentils
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 bunch arugula, stems discarded and leaves washed well, spun dry, and chopped
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 pound feta, crumbled or chopped (about 1 cup)

In a small saucepan simmer lentils in water to cover by 2 inches until tender but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes, and drain well. Transfer hot lentils to a bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Cool lentils completely, stirring occasionally.

In a saucepan bring water to a boil and add couscous and salt. Remove pan from heat and let couscous stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and cool completely, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl whisk together garlic paste, remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir lentils and dressing into couscous. Chill salad, covered, at least 3 hours and up to 24.

Just before serving, stir in remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Greek Red Lentil Soup with Lemon, Rosemary and Feta Cheese

Now that the weather is cooler I'm back into making soups! Luckily I've come across some really amazing ones to share with you guys. I love lentils in soup, especially split red split lentils. I love how they fall apart mmm. So creamy and delicious. In addition to lentils, the soup has lots of other yummy things - onion, carrots, rosemary, oregano, lemons, chile flakes, and feta. A simple ingredient list with such a tasty result. The feta is a great addition but the soup is delicious without it (and then it's vegan!)

If you can use fresh herbs, of course that would be better but I used dried. The recipe gives the option of pureeing or not and I almost always prefer pureed soups so that's what I went for. I wasn't sure about adding the lemon juice for two reasons. One is because some recipes call for the addition of vinegar when I don't think it belongs. I've made several things like that and have stopped listening to the recipes and started listening to myself! Not that I don't love vinegar - I really do. But I just don't want all my food to have that sourness. And the other reason I was scared of adding the lemon juice is because of this awful experience I had once with carrot orange soup where I juiced some oranges and failed to measure the amount of juice before adding it to the soup. Disgusting!! Well not disgusting but I defnitely did not enjoy the orange flavoured soup.

This is a delicious, filling and easy soup to add to your repertoire. Do you have any favourite soup recipes? I've tried out so many but so few are keepers.

I was trying to take photos of Abby but every time I bring out the camera she runs towards it so it's really difficult to get anything other than a blur! When I took this photo, I was tapping my nails on the fridge. She loves it when we do that or scratch at things, then she gets ready to attack it. She was hiding behind the wall peaking around to see.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup
Curried Sweet Potato Soup
Beet, Barley & Black Bean Soup
Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Greek Red Lentil Soup with Lemon, Rosemary and Feta Cheese
Adapted from Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook

2 cups red split lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tsp salt
8 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, diced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red chile flakes
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
8 cups vegetable stock
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp minced rosemary
pepper to taste

1. Rinse lentils thoroughly in a colander under cold running water. Set aside to drain. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat and saute onion with 1/2 tsp salt until translucent. Add garlic, carrot, pepper, chiles, herbs, bay leaves and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir well and saute until the carrots are just tender. Add rinsed lentils and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the lentils are soft and falling apart. If you like, the soup can be pureed or left as is. If you choose to puree, remove the bay leaves first.

2. Season the soup with lemon zest, lemon juice and more salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, stir together the feta cheese, rosemary and pepper. Spirnkle over hot bowls of soup and enjoy!

Choklay's Tibetan Lentil Soup

I'm submitting this soup to Food Blogga's Beautiful Bones event. Since May is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, Susan is hosting this event to promote awareness about osteoporosis. Check out her post which mentions the risk factors and many examples of calcium rich foods. I had no idea that tomatoes and spices have calcium! Anyway, the calcium rich foods my soup has are lentils, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, and potatoes.

This soup is good, filling, healthy and I plan to make it again! The flavour combination of cumin, coriander and lentils was really good. For a while now, I've been really hooked on red split lentils (which cook really fast and are so delicious). I haven't ventured out and tried many other types of lentils though, which I should.

Other soups I've made:
Baked Bean Soup
Corn Chowder
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Choklay's Tibetan Lentil Soup
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

1 1/2 cups dried red split lentils, rinsed
6 cups water
1 tsp oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 fresh chile, seeded and finely minced
1 carrot, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 potato, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cups (28 oz can) undrained canned chopped tomatoes
3/4 tsp salt

In a nonreactive soup pot, bring the lentils and water to a boil; then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium saucepan and saute the onions, garlic, and chile for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, coriander and cumin and saute for another minute, stirring to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the lentils are tender, stir the canned tomatoes into the soup pot. Add the salt and sauteed vegetables. Cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until all of the vegetables are tender. If you like, take 2 cups of the soup out and puree them, then add back to the soup.

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Alright time for something a little healthier than apple pie-cake, chocolate oatmeal coconut cookies and earl grey white chocolate muffins (though I promise there are many more baked goods to come). The cookbook How It All Vegan! never fails to disappoint me. The recipes are always simple, made with ingredients you probably already have at home, often healthy, and of course so delicious. That goes for their other cookbook The Garden of Vegan too, and I'm sure for La Dolce Vegan but I don't have that one yet.

A while ago I saw these beautiful roasted goat cheese-stuffed squash on use real butter. (Go check out her blog - the photos are amazing!) I had stuffed squash on the brain and I was happy to come across this recipe for stuffed spaghetti squash in How It All Vegan.

The filling was incredibly tasty, even though I added 1 cup of onion instead of 1 whole onion (not sure what was going on there). Next time I'd add more lentils to make it more of a substantial and filling meal, instead of just a side dish. And perhaps just make a bit more stuffing to balance out all the squash.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Squash & Aged White Cheddar Tart with Sage and Roasted Garlic Custard
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
Sweet Potato Badi
Pasta with Tofu Red Pepper Sauce

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
slightly adapted from How It All Vegan!

1 medium or large spaghetti squash, halved and cored
1 medium onion, chopped
6 mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 cup cooked or canned lentils*
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the squash lengthwise in half and scoop out the seeds, but leave the meat. Lay squash face up on cookie sheet. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, saute the onions and mushrooms in oil on medium-high heat until onions are translucent. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, lentils and bread crumbs and cook for 3 minutes more. Spoon the stuffing into each half of the squash and bake in oven for 30 minutes** or until squash can be pierced easily with a fork. Note: If your squash won't lay flat on your cookie sheet, you can cut a bit off the bottom.

*I used red split lentils. 3/4 cup of dry red split lentils made 1 cup of cooked lentils.
**Mine took 50-60 minutes.

Sweet Potato Badi

I really like this meal because it's tasty and I feel like it's good for me (hopefully I'm not deluded in thinking that). It has red lentils, tomatoes, zucchini, peas, sweet potato, and yogurt to make it creamy. (And being a coconut fiend, I love that this main course incorporates dried shredded unsweetened coconut.) The sweet potato badi is filling and easy to make, so as you can see this dish is a keeper. This is actually only my second time making it, only because I like trying out new recipes. I can see it being a dish I fall back on when I don't want to think about my meals for the week.

The first time I made the recipe I thought it was really weird that I had mixed up this bowl of coconut, plain yogurt, minced chile peppers, and salt. Definitely not a combination I had encountered before. All the ingredients come together really well though, and it's good reheated too.

Sweet Potato Badi
(Adapted from Entertaining for a Veggie Planet by Didi Emmons)

Serves 4
Takes about 40 minutes to make.

1/2 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup raw red lentils
8 curry leaves or 1 tsp ground cumin
1 medium yellow, white or new potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes*
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
1/2 cup (175g) plain yogurt
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tsp salt

Brown rice

1. In a small, dry skillet, toast the coconut over medium heat, shaking the skillet often, until the coconut is uniformly light brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the coconut to a small bowl and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the lentils and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring, until they begin to brown. Stir in the curry leaves or cumin. Add the potato, sweet potato, and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, and peas, and cook until the vegetables are fork-tender and the liquid is almost gone, about 10 minutes more. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

3. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the toasted coconut and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the remaining coconut, yogurt, chiles, and salt, and whisk until smooth. Fold the yogurt mixture gently into the vegetables. Cover the skillet and let stand for a few minutes until warmed through. Transfer the badi to a serving bowl and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons coconut on top. Serve immediately with rice.

*I halved the recipe this time and just used the 1 sweet potato.
General note: If you're eating this with brown rice, start cooking the rice before you even start doing anything.