Lentils & Brown Rice in Sloppy Joe Sauce

In a state of lunacy, I bought 4 pounds of brown lentils. I do not know why. We made lentil soup a couple of times, but we’re tired of soup. There are recipes on the internet for lentil hummus. I didn’t like it as well as chickpea hummus, so scratch that dish. 

I found this recipe for lentil sloppy joes that looks delicious, but it requires too many ingredients I don’t buy. Still, I took the fresh mushrooms idea from it, and I looked at my own Sloppy Joe recipe and came up with a new dish below. We spooned our lentil sloppy Joe sauce over a bed of brown rice instead of sandwich buns to make it easy to eat, so it wasn’t very sloppy.:) My sauce has a hint of heat, which we liked a lot: 

Lentil Sloppy Joe’s Sauce

Ingredients:

3/4 cup lentils

1 medium onion, diced

3 ribs of celery, sliced

2 mini bell peppers, any color - I had red and yellow

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 3/4 cups water

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

A sprinkle of dried red pepper

4 ounces of tomato sauce (Use any type of tomato sauce. I always keep an 8-oz can in my pantry for impromptu recipes.)

2 tablespoons mustard

Always keep a can for recipes.

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

A sprinkle of hot sauce

A sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce

Separately, I cooked 1 dry cup of brown rice.

Directions for the Sauce:

1) Into a 12-inch skillet, I combined 3/4 cup of lentils with 2 cups of water and let it simmer for 15 minutes before tossing in the onions, celery, bell peppers, and mushrooms. It takes about 25 minutes for the lentils to tenderize.

2) Next, I tossed in the dry seasonings followed by the wet ingredients, simmering and stirring them occasionally until the lentils finished cooking. I also added 1/4 cup of water when the mixture started to become dry.

We dipped out the brown rice and topped it with our spicy lentil sloppy joe sauce. Surprisenly filling and tasty, it makes a winning side dish or a light and complete protein dinner. Right now I’m liking this dish better than soup! Unlike soup, you can make a little or a lot of it, so don’t have to eat leftovers!

Only 3 pounds of dried lentils to go! Help me, I need more recipes!

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Pineapple Greek Yogurt Ice Cream

Photo: Stonyfield

Whenever I’ve been tempted to buy an ice cream maker ... and there have been several times, my decision-making rule kicks into gear. If I cannot make a food (1) tastier, (2) faster, or (3) cheaper, I buy it readymade. During the summer, my local supermarkets (blocks away from home) often run sales on 1.5 quarts of ice cream for $2.50 - $3.00 a carton. I’d have to eat a ton of ice cream to break even on the cost of an ice cream maker, not even counting the cost of the ingredients to make the ice cream. For the non-compressor models, you also must wait 24 hours to eat the ice cream. I can walk to and from my nearby supermarkets and have my ice cream eaten faster than that, with hours to spare; therefore, no ice cream maker will likely ever take up my counter space.

 
But, if you have a food processor or blender, you can still make creamy frozen desserts, almost like ice cream -- minus or with very little sugar. I’ve shared one such recipe before using frozen banana slices. It’s dreamy and creamy!

Today I’ve come across another frozen ice cream recipe using 3 healthy ingredients.👇

 

Pineapple Greek Yogurt Ice Cream

Ingredients:

20 ounces of frozen pineapple - Canned chunks or crushed work.
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon of honey or sweetener

Optional - 1 teaspoon of vanilla - I don’t add it with citrus/acid fruits. Lemon juice tastes better with those.

Directions:

1) Toss the frozen pineapple chunks into a food processor or blender (in a blender, you may have to add a tiny bit of milk). 

2) It takes 4 - 5 minutes to blend into a creamy soft serve consistency.

3) Pour into a container and place it in the freezer for 1 - 2 hours to get a harder texture to dip out with an ice cream scooper.

You can garnish your healthy ice cream with coconut flakes or diced strawberries, or you could blend frozen strawberries with the frozen pineapple chunks to vary the flavor of the dessert. Once you are a pro, try the recipe with other fruits. To minimize the cleanup, I used an immersion blender, tossing and blending all the ingredients in a single 32-oz Greek yogurt container. After blending, I dropped it into the freezer. Brilliant or lazy?😊

Enjoy!

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Why You Should Eat Walnuts Everyday

I won’t lie. I prefer other nuts like almonds and pecans over walnuts, but after I learned walnuts have several health benefits that other nuts don’t, I started using walnuts in place of pecans in many baked goods. Walnuts are cheaper, too. I also make a practice of popping a few walnuts into my mouth and putting a handful into my mother’s oatmeal each morning. 

As it turns out, medical evidence suggests a daily dose of 1 - 2 ounces (i.e., a handful) of walnuts supports heart health, cuts bad cholesterol, supports gut health, and sharpens brain function, plus they may improve sleep with a natural infusion of melatonin.

Walnuts contain essential omega-3 fatty acids (ALA), magnesium, and antioxidants. They reduce inflammation and lower bad LDL cholesterol. Studies show that people who eat walnuts have faster brain reaction times and delayed age-related cognitive decline. Walnuts act as a prebiotic to improve the gut microbiome by increasing good bacteria. Although walnuts are energy-dense, they don’t tend to cause weight gain because they help to manage our appetites.

Here are tips for eating  a healthy dose of walnuts every day:

1) Stick with a serving (1 oz to 2 oz) to control calories. 1 oz = 14 halves. Easy enough, as we don’t tend to gorge on walnuts. 

2) Eat them raw, roasted, soaked in water, or added to cereals, salads, smoothies, or yogurt.

3) Walnuts are beneficial at any time of the day, yet studies show they improve cognitive performance if eaten in the morning.

4) I find Diamond of California to be the better-tasting walnuts without any bitterness. Walmart sells this brand at a cheaper cost then its own store brand, also. I always have a 32-oz bag in my refrigerator or freezer (as well as a big bag of lightly salted almonds as snack staples)

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Here’s a once-in-a-while treat (due to the sugar), perhaps for Sundays or holidays like Easter, to bake using walnuts. If you’re ambitious, you could toast the walnuts for added flavor before using. It’s a scaled-down, less sweet Hummingbird cake:

Pinnapple and Walnut Sheet Cake

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup of finely chopped walnuts

Directions:

1) Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

Photo: Indiana Connection

2) Beat in the eggs, then add the vanilla extract and pineapple with juice, and fold in the walnuts. Do not overmix, just enough to incorporate all the ingredients, so the batter doesn’t produce a tough cake.

3) Pour the batter into a well-buttered square baking pan.

4) Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 - 35 minutes.

Cream Cheese and Nut Frosting

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese (I use low-fat)

2 tablespoons of butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups of powdered sugar or more

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (These I don’t chop as finely as the walnuts in the batter.)

Mix together except the walnuts. Spread the frosting on a cooled cake and top the frosting with the chopped nuts.

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You Rock Joy Bauer

All photos and recipes courtesy of Joy Bauer

Nowadays, I must snack more mindfully because I don’t want to weigh 300 pounds. To a certain extent, I’ve always been a healthy eater, never fasting and never starving myself with unhealthy, unbalanced diets, but when I was younger, I could get away with eating more calories. Not anymore. Yet, one thing remains the same: I will not starve myself!

Today I was very impressed watching nutritionist, Joy Bauer (whose recipes I often like), prepare 3 snacks on The Today Show. She lightened up tasty treats you could make for family or party guests, using healthy ingredients with a good dose of protein. I’ll post Joy’s recipes below, i.e., on my electronic recipe box (with a link back to her) so Savvy Shoppers and savvy eaters (including me) can for sure find them time and again. (I never know what will disappear from the internet):

In general, I don’t like chicken on my pizza, but this recipe is really barbecue chicken on pizza crust. I'll use a combination of mozzarella and extra-sharp cheddar. Joy’s original recipe follows:

Barbecue Chicken Pizza -recipe #1

INGREDIENTS

Dough

¼ cup whole wheat flour, white-whole wheat flour, or 1:1 gluten-free flour½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch kosher salt
¼ cup nonfat Greek yogurt

Toppings:

2 tablespoons BBQ sauce**¼ cup packed shredded chicken mixed with 1 to 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
A few thin slices of red onion
2 to 4 tablespoon 2% shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican blend cheeseOptional chopped cilantro and hot sauce for garnish

INGREDIENT DETAILS TO KNOW 

*Pour off liquid before measuring**For gluten-free, choose a gluten-free brand of BBQ sauce.

INSTRUCTIONS

 

1) Preheat oven to 450º degrees. Mist a baking sheet with oil spray and set aside.

2) In a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and seasonings. Mix to combine everything. Add the yogurt and stir until you have a crumbled mixture.

3) Using your hands, press and fold the flour into the yogurt until all of the pieces come together to form an elastic dough. While at first the dough will be fussy and crumbly, after about a minute of pressing and folding it will come together. Form one ball about the size of a baseball.

4) Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet and flatten with your palm. Roll it out into a thin circle using a rolling pin or a soup can until it has about a 7-inch diameter. Your shape can be somewhat artisanal or you can make it perfectly circular by pinching the outside perimeters with your fingers.

5) Place in oven on the middle rack for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it out evenly. Add the saucy chicken, red onion slices, and sprinkle on the cheese.

6) Place back in the oven for another 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melty and the crust is crispy and browned around the edges. Garnish with optional chopped cilantro.

Mini Corn Dog Muffins - recipe #2

INGREDIENTS

1 cup white whole-wheat flour, or all-purpose flour*
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1½ teaspoons kosher salt1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn, drained (or 1½ cups frozen corn, thawed)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup nonfat or low-fat vanilla yogurt
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons milk or water
8 pre-cooked chicken or turkey sausages, each cut into 5 pieces (about 40 pieces total)

Optional Toppings and Dips: Honey, hot honey, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce

INGREDIENT DETAILS TO KNOW

* For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the white whole-wheat flour.If you’re making these gluten-free, double-check that your sausage brand is gluten-free too.

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Preheat the oven and prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat two mini muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.

2) Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.

3) Add the wet ingredients. Add the corn, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, honey, and milk or water. Stir until everything is combined and the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix—the batter should be thick and scoopable.

4) Fill the muffin cups. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Press one sausage piece into the center of each cup, gently pushing it down so the batter rises around it and partially covers the sides.

5) Bake and serve. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the cornbread is set. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then carefully remove them. Serve warm with honey, hot honey, ketchup, mustard, or BBQ sauce.

Caramelized Onion Dip - recipe #3

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium onions, thinly sliced (~6 cups worth)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 cup lite sour cream, or nonfat or 2% Greek yogurt

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

INGREDIENT DETAILS TO KNOW 

*You can use nonfat or 2% plain Greek yogurt or light sour cream. Pour off any liquid that may have settled on top of the container before measuring. You can also half the sour cream or yogurt with light mayo.

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Add the oil to a large skillet and warm over medium heat. Add the onions with ½ tsp salt. Allow them to cook, stirring often, for about 60 minutes, until they’re nicely browned and fragrant. If the onions start to burn, lower the heat to low. 

2) Also, if the onions become too dry at any point, add a tablespoon of water to the pan. The onions will reduce in size to yield about 1 cup when they’re caramelized.

3) When the onions are done cooking, let them slightly cool. Lay them on a cutting board and chop into tiny pieces. Alternatively, you can use a pair of kitchen scissors and snip them into small pieces right in the skillet.

4) In a mixing bowl, blend the sour cream, remaining salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in the onions. Taste and season with extra salt, pepper and minced herbs. 

5) Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. If it becomes thicker than you’d like, simply mix in a few extra tablespoons of yogurt or sour cream.

NOTES

• Caramelizing such a large amount of onions in one pan will take some time, about 60 minutes over medium heat. While a smaller amount of onions (just one or two) will caramelize more quickly, you’ll need this full amount for the addictive, onion-y flavor. Trust me on this. Use the largest and widest skillet you have on hand. Once your onions get started, I suggest putting on some great music and multitasking while they cook; you can dance, tend to other food items that need prepping, or catch up on a juicy episode of whatever you’re currently watching. You’ll need to stir them occasionally, so don’t stray too far from the kitchen!

• You can opt to caramelize the onions ahead of time and store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.

• I use 3 medium yellow onions (~6 cups worth of slices), which will cook all the way down to just about 1 cup, if you can believe. You can use any onion but I recommend using yellow or sweet onions.

• If using nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, 2 tablespoons provide about 35 calories, 2g fat, and 2g protein.

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Even as a teenager, I skipped dips as empty calories, empty nutrition. With Joy’s low-fat, protein-dense onion dip using Greek yogurt, I get to experience what I missed! If you make all 3 snacks for a gathering, you’ve got meat, whole grains, and vegetables. Pour a glass of wine and add strawberries and blueberries for dessert. That’s a complete meal in my book! Hat’s off to Joy Bauer!👏

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