Lentils with Brown Rice

Lentils are a staple food for us, especially as the weather has gotten colder. We buy them in bulk at The Merc, they come in a variety of colors, and they are so versatile. My mom often made (and still makes) lentil soup, which is great, and John started making lentils and rice a couple of years ago. They are a great go-to meal, packed with protein, fiber, and folate, and (big surprise) our girls love them. Here's a quick fix for some lentils and rice, but google away as there are so many different combinations of lentil meals!

Lentils with Brown Rice

• 1 C organic short grain brown rice (cook separate from lentils: 2 C water, 1 C rice, cover and simmer until done - approx 35 minutes)
• 1 C organic french lentils (these are green ones)
• Organic carrots
• Organic onion
• Bragg organic apple cider vinegar
• 3 C organic low sodium chicken broth
• Wash lentils and pick through, discarding bad ones
• Chop and saute carrots and onion in olive oil (garlic would be good, too)
• Add lentils and 1/4 C vinegar
• Cover and simmer approx 10 minutes
• Add broth, bay leaf, spices
• Cover and simmer until lentils are of desired tenderness (I probably left these for 45 minutes, or so)
• Salt and pepper
• Serve with rice

John discovered the vinegar step in this process, and I think it seals the lentil deal. Bacon is also a great addition, as it is to many recipes, but it works quite well here. Bottom line: lentils are worth a shot, if you haven't tried them. And if you have, leave some recipe ideas in the comments for us! I'm sure they'll be making an appearance again this week! Happy Monday!

Toasted flaxseeds

Crunchy. 

Seedy. 

Toasted. 

Tasty.

I'm loving the addition of toasted flaxseeds to yogurt, cereal, granola, porridge... Toss some in a pan, heat over medium or medium-high heat, and look out! Those little seeds start popping and jumping! Yesterday morning for breakfast we had some brown rice pudding, made with leftover brown rice from the night before. 

Brown Rice Pudding:

• 2 C. cooked organic brown rice
• 2 C. organic milk
• 1 T. local honey
• 1 T. pure organic maple syrup
• Organic raisins
• Cinnamon
• 2 organic eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine rice, milk, honey, syrup, raisins, cinnamon in large saucepan; Simmer for 20-30 minutes, until starts to thicken; Whisk eggs together, slowly add 1/2 C of hot rice/milk mixture to eggs to gradually warm them, then whisk eggs back into pan; Cook for a few minutes until thickens more; Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Top with toasted flaxseeds.

Breakfast continues to reign supreme - the busy lives of toddlers requires whole grain goodness like brown rice pudding to kick off a day!

"Beans and rice!"

I asked the girls yesterday afternoon what they wanted for dinner. "Beans and rice!". How could I say no to that? Healthy. Easy. Delicious. Yes, let's have beans and rice!

Beans and Rice

• 1 C. organic short grain brown rice (uncooked)
• 2 C. organic low sodium chicken broth + 1/2 C. water
• 1 can red kidney beans (drained)
• 1 can Muir Glen organic diced tomatoes without added salt
• 2 organic carrots; shredded
• 2 stalks organic celery; chopped
• 1/2 organic onion; chopped
• 1 organic zucchini; chopped
• 1/2 organic red pepper; chopped
• 1 big clove organic garlic; minced
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Apple cider vinegar
• Ketchup
• Cook rice in chicken broth/water combo for 40 minutes
• Saute onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, pepper in olive oil
• Add garlic until fragrant
• Add tomatoes and beans
• Season with: salt, pepper, spices, vinegar, squirt of ketchup
• Serve over rice, topped with sour cream and fresh avocado

They say you're supposed to eat the rainbow.... so pretty! 

Nothing beats fresh avocado and the Organic Valley sour cream is great!

Recipe #4: More rice!!! (with chick & veggies)

We eat a lot of brown rice in this house, so be prepared to buy in bulk. It's fresh veggie season here in L-town and my parent's gardens are abundant with tasty goodness, year after year. I started my rice cooking around 4:30 and at 5:00ish opened up the fridge to see what might join: grilled chicken breasts, eggplant (from the garden), peppers (from the garden), onions. Perfect! I highly recommend grilling extras when you've got it fired up - nothing makes cooking simpler than eliminating the handling of raw meat! Speaking of meat... while it doesn't typically fall on the "Dirty Dozen" lists to buy organic, it is one that we buy hormone/antibiotic free, and when we can organic and local as well. If you've seen 'Fast Food Nation' (among several others), you probably do the same. Okay, here's the recipe:

Recipe #4: Sauteed Fresh Veggies with Brown Rice

Cooked brown rice

Olive oil

Eggplant, onion, peppers

Salt

Pepper

Salsa

Cooked chicken slices

Shredded cheese

Avocado

Fresh cilantro or Italian parsley

• Cook brown rice ahead of time
• Thinly slice eggplant; saute first, allowing eggplant to turn golden and even crisp a bit (so yum!)
• Add thinly sliced peppers and onions to eggplant; allow all to saute until tender
• Add sliced chicken
• Season with salt, pepper, and salsa
• Cover bottom of oven-safe dish (8x8 inch square) with rice
• Add veggies/chicken
• Top with shredded cheese
• Place under broiler until cheese melts - Now, I could get away with simply broiling this because my timing worked out that the rice was just finishing and hot, veggies/chick were hot, etc... so I did not need to heat, just melt.
• Top with avocado slices, cilantro/parsley, and salsa

Are these the faces of children who had a skimpy dinner??? I think not!

They feasted like champions!!!!

Recipe #1: Beans and Rice

It's 5:00. Dinner is in the immediate future. I did not prep veggies during naps. I did not defrost chicken throughout the day. There are NO leftovers. Open cupboard: beans, check! Open fridge: brown rice, check! (brown rice bought in bulk and stored in airtight containers in the fridge is a good way to go).

Make brown rice - 1 cup of rice to 2 1/2 cups liquid (organic, low sodium chicken broth adds nice flavor); simmer for 35-40 minutes.

Remove rice from pot

Saute veggies in olive oil - onion, shredded carrot, garlic, peppers, zucchini

Add cooked rice to pot

Add drained/rinsed can of black beans

Add some crushed tomatoes and salsa for flavor

Season with: chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, fresh herbs

Serve with shredded cheese, additional hot salsa, whatever suits your fancy!

My 2-year olds gobbled this up, and so did we!

Beans and Rice

Beans and rice should be a staple in every kitchen! Brown rice, black beans... add a little cheese and salsa... WHAM! That's what this blog is all about - putting the WHAM! into family kitchens. I am on somewhat of a mission (hence the start of this blog...) to inspire homemade breakfast, lunch, and dinner in kitchens everywhere. I want to share what we eat. I want to share what you eat. And I might toss in a few non-food related snippets here or there should I see fit to do so.

Welcome to Bananas and Blueberries...