Red Lentil Vegetable Curry

Know what these little guys are?

How about now? Ok so you probably didn't need to guess since the answer is right in the title. That's right! Red lentils!

Missing my Kazu curries while I was in France, I made this dish a couple times and now that I'm a little homesick for said France - Im making it again. This curry can be done with any veggies and Im sure it will still turn out great - it would also be good with brown lentils - but I wouldn't really mix it with green lentils.

Lentil and Veggie Curry

1 soup spoon of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1-2 tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 cup of red lentils
14oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups veg stock
1 tsp chili paste (or skip it if you dont like it too spicy)
1 pound potatoes, cubed
1/2 a head of broccoli, cut into florets
garnish: cilantro, plain vegan yogurt



1. In a big sauce pan heat the oil over medium low heat and then add the onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, curry, chili powder and the carrots and cook for 5 minutes or just until the onion is soft.
2. Incorporate the lentils, tomatoes and the vegetable stock. Bring everything to a boil then reduce the heat, cover, and let the curry simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the chili sauce (if using), along with the potatoes and broccoli - cook 15 to 20 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender.
4. Serve the curry over rice, quinoa, or cous cous. Top with a bit of fresh cilantro or some vegan yogurt

Broccoli Mac and Cheese Casserole

Mac and Cheese from a box is super hard to replicate isn't it? I've come to the conclusion that it can't be done. But, a good noodly cheesy casserole can be made that can satisfy a craving. I had just bought a package of quinoa noodles I wanted to try out and even though Im not crazy about broccoli usually, its full of good stuff for you (vitamin C, K, A and fiber) so I decided to make a little casserole.

Broccoli Mac and Cheese

1 large bunch of broccoli, cut into florets, trunk discarded
4 Tbsp butter (or vegan spread)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups soy creme fraiche (or whole milk, soy milk, soy cream)
2 cups grated Gruyere (or cheese of your choice)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or some other shallow 3-quart baking dish.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions and boil the broccoli until its tender but not mushy
3. Wipe out the past pot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes (do not let it darken). Still stirring, slowly add the creme fraiche. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Add the Gruyère, cayenne, garlic and 1½ teaspoon salt and pepper and cook just until the cheeses melt. Mix in the pasta and the broccoli. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.



PS I liked the quinoa pasta