Italian Lentil Soup

Kid Friendly! The Smile says it all!

If you are looking for vegetarian dinner recipes simple and healthy, that your whole family will love, you will defiantly want to try this one!!  Packed full of nutritional goodies, this soup will quickly become a family favorite.  The best part is, this soup is even better the next day, so leftovers will not last long.  I love making my weekly dinner menus healthy and delicious and this has defiantly become a regular in our house!

Lentil Fun Facts:

Compared to other types of dried beans, lentils are relatively quick and easy to prepare and  readily absorb a variety of wonderful flavors from other foods and seasonings.

Lentils are a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family.  They are an excellent source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Their high fiber content also helps to prevent blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. But this is far from all lentils have to offer. Lentils also provide good to excellent amounts of six important minerals, two B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. The calorie cost of all this nutrition? Just 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils! Which means this tiny nutritional giant will fill you up and not out.

 

Italian Lentil Soup

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Ingredients:

1 medium onion chopped

1 TBSP olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 ¼ cups water

1 can (14 ½ oz) low-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed

2 cups spinach, chopped

2 medium carrots, shredded

1 small organic green or red pepper, finely chopped

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 (14 ½ oz) can diced low-sodium organic tomatoes

1 (6oz) can tomato paste

1 TBSP lemon juice

Directions:

1.     In dutch oven (or large pot), sauté onion in oil until tender. 

2.    Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. 

3.    Add water, broth, lentils, carrots, green pepper, oregano, basil, cinnamon and pepper flakes.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat: cover and simmer for 20-25 min or until lentils are almost tender

4.   Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and add spinach: cover and simmer 10 minutes longer or until lentils are tender. 

Chef’s Tips:

·         Serve over brown rice or quinoa for a hearty meal.

·         Add cooked organic chicken or ground beef for non-vegetarian dish.

·         You can substitute low-sodium chicken broth for vegetable broth.

·         Add jalapeno pepper (finely chopped) for extra kick.

Birdseed Ornaments

Each year, as the Holiday season rolls around, I try to come up with special crafts that I can do with the kids to give out as Christmas presents.  Growing up, a favorite memory with my mom was making sugar cookies.  It was so fun to put on Christmas music, and spend time with my mom and sisters as we worked together to create delicious cookies to give away.  Looking back now, the cookie part was not the what made this time so special, it was the togetherness that did. 


Last year, we made Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments (which are hanging on my tree again this year) and gave them to family members, teachers and friends. This year I wanted to do something different so I decided to make Birdseed Ornaments to hang on outside trees for our feathered friends.

Birdseed Ornaments

What you will need:

2 small packets Knox Original Gelatine (unflavored)
1 1/2 cup birdseed
Mold of your choice (we used cookie cutters)
1/2 cup water
String, twine or ribbon (do not use bright colored ribbon, it may scare the birds away) 

Directions


Dissolve two packets of Knox into the water.  Bring water to a simmer, stir until completely dissolved.  Let cool slightly.

Add birdseed to liquid, mix well.  There should not be any excess liquid.  If you notice your mixture is a little soupy, add more birdseed.



Gather the two ends of your string, twine or ribbon, tie into a knot, making a big loop.

Cover a tray with foil.  Lay out your molds.  Spoon the birdseed mixture into the molds, filling only half way.  Be sure to the birdseed mixture is well packed in the molds.  Place the knot of your string on top of the pressed birdseed at the top of your ornament.  Fill the remainder of the mold, pressing the mixture down and making sure that the string knot is completely covered.

Place tray in the freezer for a few hours, to make the un-molding process a little easier.  Let the ornaments dry out for a few days, flipping occasionally to ensure each side dries completely.

When hanging outside, be sure to hang in a place that birds can easily rest and eat.

White Bean Stew with Sausage

During the Holiday Season, our lives get a little more hectic and it gets a little harder to have a hot healthy meal ready for your family. Enter the handy crock-pot! As the weather turns colder, there is something comforting about coming home to a warm house with the smell of dinner floating through the air...and there's nothing you need to do but SERVE IT UP! Here is a delicious recipe that will warm your soul and your family will love it.

White Bean Stew with Sausage

1 lb (2 cups) dried small white beans
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 carrots, sliced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 package Applegate Organic Chicken and Apple Sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
4 packed cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

Add beans, onion, garlic, and spices to the slow cooker.  Add chicken stock and diced tomatoes, with juice, and sausage.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the beans are tender.  Add spinach and cook for additional 30 minutes.


Tips:
-If you will be home while cooking this meal, add the meat after 5-6 hours.  If you will be gone all day you can add the sausage at the beginning.
-Cook time will probably be close to 10 hours. Check beans at 6-7 hours and if are still very under cooked, turn to high for while.

Enjoy!!

1 lb. (2 cups) dried small white beans
1 onion, chopped into fairly small pieces
1 T finely minced garlic
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
6 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes
14 oz. Kielbasa sausage, cut into half-moon slices (use low-fat turkey Kielbasa for South Beach Diet)
4 packed cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional) - See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/02/recipe-for-slow-cooker-kielbasa-and.html#sthash.E4AijRDo.dpuf

1 lb. (2 cups) dried small white beans
1 onion, chopped into fairly small pieces
1 T finely minced garlic
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
6 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes
14 oz. Kielbasa sausage, cut into half-moon slices (use low-fat turkey Kielbasa for South Beach Diet)
4 packed cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional) - See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/02/recipe-for-slow-cooker-kielbasa-and.html#sthash.E4AijRDo.dpuf