Bulgur-Lentil Salad with Preserved Lemon, Cucumber and Mint.

true love salad days.
Bulgur-Lentil Salad with 

Preserved Lemon, Cucumber & Mint.

its a forever kind of thing.

I couldn't live without cucumbers. Or, more accurately, I could live without them but their absence would cause me to spiral into an deep, dark food-based depression from which there would be little to no chance of recovery. I'd shuffle around the kitchen, muttering about how good things used to be between us, cucumbers and I. About how I was sure from the first time we met that it was gonna be a long-haul kind of thing. I'd bore my friends with old stories of our perfect summers together, all vine-y, gourd-y love. Of dirty fingernails and straight-from-the-garden goodness. Of Maine vacations spent biting into lemon cucumbers like apples. Love would begin to feel foreign and alienating and I'd stay up nights wondering
how I could have been so wrong in thinking we were forever.

The point of all this rambling is to say that you are my everything, Cucumis Sativus.
Don't ever leave, I'd be lost (and probably pretty annoying) without you.

And not to take anything away from this epic love manifesto,
but preserved lemon and fresh mint are pretty dope, too...

Lentil-Walnut Burgers with Caramelized Sweet Onions and Mustard Greens

hyper-critical (and sometimes lazy) tiny voice VANQUISHED.

Lentil-Walnut Burgers with

Caramelized Sweet Onions & Mustard Greens.

'Cause everything's better with grainy mustard. Even the tiny voice knows that.

One of the (many)  little voices inside of my head used to have a lot to say on the subject of veggie burgers. At the grocery store it would be all naggy and judgmental. I'd stand in front of the display of veggie burgers contemplatively and then... "Shelling out five bucks for this frozen package of machine-made garbage is DUMB. We could make 'em better AND cheaper. Stop being so damn lazy. You're better than this." So I'd leave the freezer section empty handed but vaguely self-possessed and hit up the bulk bins. Triumphantly returning to my kitchen, I'd assemble the ingredients to DIY some veggie burgers like nobody's business. But, inevitably, the little voice would appear again, only this time cloaked in laziness and defeat. "Ugh. Why are we doing all of this work for? Homemade veggie burgers are never that good. You're just going to eat one and forget about the rest. Don't even bother. Let's watch some TV." 

This cycle repeated itself for years, so veggie burgers never happened 

and because of that I was sad for a very long time.

Notice the use of past tense? That's because things have changed, my friends.

And I am the one who has changed them.

I killed that naggy, judgemental, lazy, defeatist little voice. Killed it dead. 

Or at least knocked it into silent submission.

And I used this recipe to do it. 

Lentil-Walnut Burgers with

Caramelized Sweet Onions and Mustard Greens.

(makes 12 standard sized burgers)

1c brown lentils, rinsed and picked over

1/2c uncooked bulgur
1 1/4c raw walnut pieces

3Tbsp olive oil

1 large sweet onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 1/2c rinsed, torn and tightly packed mustard greens

1Tbsp ground flax seed

3Tbsp boiling water

1Tbsp finely ground sea salt

2tsp ground black pepper

2tsp crushed red pepper

1tsp smoked paprika

extra salt & pepper to taste

Spiced Lentil Stew with Preserved Lemon

always be prepared.
Spiced Lentil Stew with Preserved Lemon

Oh yes. And I didn't even have to leave the house.

Otherwise known as "why I always have lentils on hand" stew. This is me, singing the praises of a well stocked pantry. Because, if you're prepared, on those it's too cold (or I'm too lazy) to go outside days or on those there's nothing in the fridge days,
there is ALWAYS the possibility of soup.
So stock up.
And try this recipe.
It's a good one.

Using up the heirlooms, but regular ol' orange carrots work just as well.

Spiced Lentil Stew with Preserved Lemon

(serves 4)

2tbsp olive oil
1 1/2c brown lentils, rinsed
1/2 small onion, diced

1/2 leek, sliced thinly

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into discs

2tsp sea salt

2 1/2tsp chili powder

1tsp turmeric

1/2tsp black pepper
1/2tsp finely minced preserved lemon
4c unsalted vegetable stock
1/2c crushed tomatoes
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed

Trim and thinly slice leek into half discs, reserving a generous pinch of the
brightest greens for garnish.
Sautee diced onion, leek and garlic over medium heat for 2-3 minutes 

until onions become translucent. 

Add carrots and sautee for 1-2 minutes longer.

Add chili powder, turmeric, salt, pepper and preserved lemon.

Cook 1-2 minutes longer, stirring frequently, until mix is fragrant. 

Add stock, lemon juice and tomatoes.
Stir to combine. 

Increase heat, bringing stew to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.

Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If soup becomes too thick, add a small amount of water during cooking.
Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning to taste.
Garnish with reserved sliced leeks and crushed red pepper when serving.

Gorgeous ingredients, soon you will be soup.

Vegan Red Lentil Stew

its too damn cold outside to do anything other than make soup.

Vegan Curried Red Lentil Stew

Measured dried red lentils and turmeric, soon to be stew.

So the temperature here in Boston this AM was hovering somewhere around six degrees. This isn't just regular old winter cold, this is downright offensive cold. Frost covering all of the window panes kind of cold, 3 pairs of socks inside the winter boots kind of cold, earmuffs under a hat under a hood wrapped in a scarf kind of cold. What to do when the temps get this low? Forget all about going outdoors, stay inside and make soup instead! This recipe was born from both the need to use up the bulk red lentils that have been clogging up my pantry shelves (I got a REALLY good deal) and the desire to eat something warming and nourishing that could fend off a looming head cold. This soup covers all of those bases and then some and is chock full of just the right kind of cold-fighting (of both the sickness and temperature variety) spices, like curry powder (DIY recipe here), turmeric, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper. This is an approximation of a traditional Ethiopian stew, full of rich, bold flavors and incredibly hearty, perfect served alone or over a bed of rice.
Serves 6-8 but can be easily halved for a smaller batch. 

Finished curried red lentil stew, ready for fresh greens. 

Curried Red Lentil Stew

(serves 6-8)

2c dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over

3tbsp olive oil

2 onions diced

8 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4c fresh ginger, minced

1tbsp curry powder 

1tsp ground cumin

2tsp turmeric

1/2c crushed tomatoes

2tsp salt

1 1/2tsp crushed red pepper

8c unsalted vegetable broth

2c chopped fresh spinach, arugula, kale or other 

cooking greens.

Extra salt and crushed red pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.

Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until they become fragrant and slightly translucent, 

stirring frequently.

Add garlic and ginger, stirring every 15 seconds or so.

Cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Add curry powder, turmeric, cumin, salt and red pepper, 

cook for 1 minute.

Add lentils, stirring to incorporate into the mix.

Cook for 30 seconds longer, allowing mix to 

become fragrant.

Add stock and tomatoes, stir well to incorporate.

Turn burner to low and simmer partially covered 

for 30 minutes.

Stir every 10 minutes or so.

Once the 30 minutes are up, taste your soup, 

adding more salt if needed.

If the mix looks a little on the thick side, add more stock or water, 1/4c at a time.

Finished stew, topped with local greens and crushed red pepper.

Add half of the fresh chopped greens, stir, and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes longer, until lentils have broken down and look almost pureed.

Serve hot garnished with the remainder of fresh greens.

Add more crushed red pepper to taste.