Red Lentil Coconut Curry (gluten-free, non-dairy, vegan)

The busy life of mommyhood has taken over the last few weeks, so even though June is over, we still have a few more meatless recipes to share.  This is one of our own creations, inspired by a new love for coconut milk, which is a great substitute for the lactose-intolerant in our family.  The use of coconut milk really adds to the flavor of this dish. 

Red lentils do not hold their shape when cooked, and they have less flavor than french lentils, so they cook down into excellent soups, dips and sauces and blend well with different flavors and spices. Like Eygptian Kushari, this lentil and rice pairing offers good complimentary protein.  This is also super easy, really fast, and results in very few dishes to clean!

Red Lentil Coconut Curry
Prep/Cook Time: 30 min
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dry rice
1 cup dry red lentils
1 cup coconut milk (in a carton, not a can! that stuff is sweetened)
1 cup water or stock
1/2 cup chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
~2 cups chopped/cubed vegetables (carrots, potato, celery, or cauliflower work well)
1 Tbsp or less of coconut oil (yum!) or olive oil
1-2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt

Instructions:
Cook rice according to package directions.

Heat coconut oil in a sauce pot over medium heat, add chopped onions and garlic, and saute until they start to turn translucent.  Rinse dry red lentils and add to pot, along with chopped vegetables, and 2 c of liquid (1 c coconut milk and remainder water or stock).  Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes.  Stir occasionally, and add more water if necessary.  The lentils are done when the mixture starts to resemble a thick sauce.  Check that vegetables are done before removing from heat.  (if using celery, saute along with the onions before adding other ingredients)

Add 1 teaspoon of curry powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, or more of each to taste, and stir.  Serve over warm rice.

If you're wondering what to do with the rest of that coconut milk, I love to curl up on a rainy day with a warm mug of coconut milk, mixing in a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon and a bit of honey or sugar.

Black Bean Enchiladas with Cilantro-lime Rice

In order to make eating less meat feel good for your family, sometimes it's necessary to revamp some of your old standbys to a meatless option. One of the meals we used to love cooking together was chicken black bean enchiladas, which contained quite a bit of chicken breast and bacon, along with black beans and fajita veggies. I know, sounds good right?! However, it always ended up being an incredibly expensive dinner, especially if we used organic meat, whole wheat tortillas, canned beans, salsa, and organic veggies. I finally came up with a meatless version that we both salivate over! This meal still has tons of protein because of the cheese, beans, and whole grains.

I wouldn't consider this a quick recipe, but it is easy and cheap! If you want to make it even cheaper (and yummier), make your own homemade tortillas. You will be amazed how much better they taste than store bought, and they are so much cheaper. Or if your family eats gluten-free, try making spelt tortillas, they are amazingly good.

Black Bean Enchiladas with Cilantro-Lime Rice
Prep/Cook Time: 2-3 hrs (some night-before prep)
Ingredients:
12 whole wheat tortillas (10-12 inch) at room temperature
1 package of shredded cheese (or shred a block yourself, montery-jack works well)
1 large onion
1 pepper (green or red, we prefer red)
1 cup dry black beans (or 2-3 cups pre-cooked/canned black beans)
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 14oz can tomato puree/tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (dried cilantro works, but isn't as tasty)
2 Tbsp lime juice (fresh is best)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil or cooking oil
1 small can of chopped chili peppers (or substitute ~1/2 tsp chili powder per 1 Tbsp chopped chilis)
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Soak overnight, 1 cup of dry black beans in 3 cups of water. Before cooking, drain and rinse the soaked beans. Place beans in a medium-sized pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low (should be a slow boil) and cook until beans are tender and just starting to fall apart (~1 hr). Alternatively, cook pre-soaked beans in a crockpot on low for 6-8 hours. Strain cooked beans and set aside. (I usually cook more than this at once and freeze the rest for another time)

In a rice cooker or stovetop, cook 1 cup brown rice according to package directions (this step could be easily done the night before). Once cooked, set aside to cool.

To make the sauce:
Taking part of the onion, chop about 1/4 cup. In a small saucepan, saute onion along with 1 clove minced garlic in some oil over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, 1-2 Tbsp of chili peppers, 1/8 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir together, cover and simmer on low for about 30 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, start the bean and rice fillings. Heat 1 T olive oil in a large skillet. Slice the rest of the onion and the bell pepper into strips. To the skillet, add the onion, pepper, and garlic, and saute over medium heat until onions start to get translucent. Add 1-2 T of chili peppers, cooked black beans, 1 T lime juice, a can of diced tomatoes (first drain some of the liquid out of can), 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1 tsp cumin and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Mix it all together until heated through. Add a 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, stir in and remove from heat.

While you cook the onions and peppers, you can prepare the cilantro-lime rice. Take your ~2 cups of cooked brown rice, add 1 T of lime juice, a handful of chopped cilantro (1/4 cup or more), and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir together and set aside.

Now its time to fill the tortillas! Heat oven to 350. Take a large 9x13 casserole and coat the bottom with a thin layer of sauce. Make sure your tortillas are at room temperature or slightly heated to make them pliable and prevent cracking. In each tortilla, spoon a few tablespoons of rice and about 1/4 cup black bean filling. Top with 1-2 T of shredded cheese. Roll up the tortilla and place seam-side down in the casserole dish side-by-side the others. Repeat until the dish is full, and don't be afraid to squeeze them in there tightly. If they crack a little, just use them anyway, it will be fine. I can usually fill a 9x13 pan and another small one. Once you have all the tortillas rolled and in the dish, cover generously with the sauce, making sure to moisten the whole surface (to prevent the tortilla from drying out). Take the rest of the cheese and sprinkle on top.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until heated through. Laying foil over the top of the pan during cooking may prevent it from drying out or burning on the top in some ovens. You can prepare the tortillas the day before, follow all the steps, but just cover and refridgerate instead of baking. If baking straight from the fridge, add about 10 minutes to the baking time.
 

Egyptian Kushari or Mujadara (Lentils and Rice) - gluten free, vegan/dairy-free option

Thanks for joining us for the Month of Meatless Recipes!

Since we began our sustainable food journey, lentils have become a staple in our home. If you have never tried them, they are in the legumes/bean family, and they are truly a super food. They are more convenient to cook than many other types of beans, since they are small and cook in 30-40 minutes or less with no prior soaking required. In addition to being a wonderful, low-fat source of protein (one cup cooked offers 18g of protein with less than 1g of fat!), lentils are also high in iron, an important nutrient for those eating less meat. Lentils pack a lot of fiber, making them a great way to lower cholesterol and maintain healthy blood sugar levels and healthy digestion. They are an excellent source of many nutrients, but especially folate and magnesium, which team up to do wonders in preventing heart disease. When planning meals with lentils, it's a good idea to pair them with a whole grain (rice) to make complete protein.

Lentils have a rich historical heritage and were likely one of the first foods to ever be cultivated! And if you think eating meatless is only for the faint at heart, remember that even Esau, the "man of the open country" sold his birthright for a simple bowl of lentil stew and whole grain bread (we have a recipe for that, too).

This is the first meal we ever made with lentils, and it totally hooked us! It is a very common dish in Egypt and throughout the Middle East (with a few variations), and it is so flavorful, yet very simple and easy.  It also happens to be a favorite for our toddler!  If you can cook rice, saute onions, and heat up pasta sauce on the stove, you can definitely rock this recipe in your kitchen.

Egyptian Kushari or Mujadara (Lentils and Rice)
recipe adapted from the More-With-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre
Serves: 5-6
Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups green lentils (i.e. french lentils)
1 1/2 cups brown rice (white is ok too)
4 - 4 1/2 cups water (substitute any or all of this for vegetable or chicken stock)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 onions
1 (14oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar (optional, or to taste)
~ 1/2 - 1 cup chopped green pepper (optional)
plain yogurt (for serving)

Instructions:
Rinse and drain the dry lentils. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and add lentils, saute for 3-5 minutes over medium heat (this helps them keep their shape when cooking). Add 4 cups of water and the brown rice and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes. (If using white rice, allow the lentils to cook for about 10 minutes before adding rice, then recover and let simmer another 25-30 minutes.) Check doneness toward the end of cooking time and add more water if necessary.

In a small pot, heat the tomato sauce, adding cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, sugar and chopped green pepper (optional). Simmer on low for 20-30 min to get those flavors cooking.

Heat another 1 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Slice onion into strips and heat over medium-high heat until carmelized. They are best if they are very brown but not burnt!

To serve, spoon lentil/rice mixture into a bowl, add a spoonful of tomato sauce, a dollop of plain yogurt, and top with carmelized onions. This time we served ours with some homemade naan (Indian flatbread). Enjoy!

Note: This dish is also good without the tomato sauce, so you can omit this if you want. For a vegan option, simply omit the yogurt.