Lentil Loaf

Meatloaf substitute--and a great way to get more beans in your kids diet.  Top with a savory tomato based sauce and bake, serve with mashed cauliflower and a salad.  The lentil loaf can be made a day or two ahead and kept in refrigerator until baking.  I bake this in a 4 x 8 loaf pan but you can use any size you like, even muffin tins!
I served ours with a cauliflower, turnip and sweet potato mash, roasted baby carrots and swiss chard.

Leftovers freeze and reheat really well!

Mashed Root Vegetable Medley

Cauliflower makes such a great substitute for potatoes but I had only a small amount left from another recipe.  I had various odds and ends of vegetables around.  I figured the sweet potato added a sweetness and the parsnip a bit of pepperiness to the dish so in the pot they went.  Then I found a small turnip that had to be used-- everyone in the pool!

Serve under the Lentil Loaf posted above.


So fast to make it will be done if you start it when the lentil loaf goes in the oven.

Dawali Green Bake

You can make this in a smaller pan for more distinct layers. Or individual ramekins
and throw in the oven just before serving.  Would be great with a simple white fish
like tilapia and roasted carrots.

Inspired by grape leaves but I had oodles of bags of frozen, blanched greens in the freezer.  I particularly like the stuffed grape leaves at a Turkish restaurant I go to.  They are filled with rice, currants, dill and mint (and whatever magic they use to make them delicious!)
I used a blend of chard, kale and chickory.  Use what suits you, if you like mild greens then swiss chard and spinach would work equally well.
I like coarse wheat bulgur because it is light but still has substance.  I think quinoa could be used but it's such a small grain that it may be lost among the other ingredients.  Stick with white or brown rice or freekeh if you want even more texture.
The sweetness of chopped raisins plays really well with the herbs in this dish, dates would work really well too!  This comes together quickly and bakes just long enough to heat through.  Also this can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use then heat--easy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

There is a stand at the local farmers market that sells a wonderful variety of spices and grains.  On one of my visits I spotted brown arborio rice.  Finally I felt a bit better about eating risotto!  Trying to consume whole grains to me means consuming the entire rice kernel when possible.
This risotto comes out still creamy but the rice has more bite to it.  If you prefer one that is softer by all means use the white arborio--or any grain you like!  No reason farro, spelt, etc can't be used--just adjust cooking time for each grain.

How do you like your squash?  I couldn't choose between a puree or roasted cubes of butternut squash so I did both--again you can just use the squash with one preparation.  The puree added even more creaminess and the roasted squares had a carmelly taste that heightened their sweetness.  Combined with fried sage leaves and chopped hazelnuts this was irresistible!

Served with roasted mushrooms and homemade seitan "sausage"

Pastiera di Grano

I fell in love with the traditional rice/custard pie produced for Easter in many Italian households.  Particularly filled with candied fruit peel.  This is served room temperature.  Or it can be served cold the next day, but if you heat it the next day in the oven you will find the ricotta and marscapone blend that goes in here (along with eggs) makes the custard like consistency come forward.  And I find the orange and lemon peel stands out more as well.
The one I made I used wheat berries instead of rice--it has a chewier texture that I love.  You can also use spelt berries.

Not the prettiest lattice, mine sunk during baking.  All the same it tasted great!

This can be made 3-5 days ahead.  It keeps incredibly well and the flavors develop more!
I used orange flower water in the dough and the filling--it added a great underlying orange character to the taste.  It can be found at Middle Eastern grocery stores, and sometimes Whole Foods carries it.
I made my own candied citrus peels because I don't like the mass produced corn syrup laden peels.  But whatever makes it work for you-- the rest can come together quick once the grain is cooked.

Chock full of citrus peel and wheat berries

Guiness Three Bean Chili

A healthy, hearty meal in itself--perfect when winter just keeps hanging on!  How about serving this up St. Patrick's Day?  It goes great with traditional toppings like sour cream (or greek yogurt) and sliced scallions or leeks.  Use this recipe as a guideline but it can easily accommodate almost any veggie variations you want to add.  I included acorn squash in this because I had it here and need to use it. 
Really want a meat based chili--add some browned meat or use veggie/soy crumbles.  Serve over pasta for chili-mac...

Tuscan Maki

 Inspired by sushi and a story I read about Giro, sushi master in NYC.  I had nothing on hand to try to do any sort of sushi or maki in the true sense.  But I started to think about what I did have that visually might have familiarity with a maki roll.
I was wondering what I had on hand to roll anything with, I had roasted seaweed but small squares, more or less these are sold as a snack and wouldn't do at all for how I needed to use them.
I abandoned the thought of a traditional route and decided I could use pasta to roll up my maki.  I chose to use some swiss chard I had already blanched and in the freezer, you could use spinach easily.  I incorporated the pureed swiss chard into the dough to give the green color of seaweed.
Then I set about coming up with a filling that could be used to replace the sticky rice.  I had half a block of tempeh in the refrigerator and decided to use it.  Crumbling it and cooking it in liquid and allowing that to sit made it sticky enough to use here.
For o top of the tempeh and inside the roll I used some roasted peppers cut very thin and some eggplant I pan fried to get a bit crunchy, giving a texture difference I think was necessary.
In the end I did top it with a bit of a very simple red sauce--just sauteed onion with garlic in some olive oil, seasoned with salt and added tomato puree I had canned the summer before.
I sprinkled some black coarse salt and some merlot salt on top of the "maki" slices to mimic fish roe.

So this may be more steps than you want, but the idea is a fun starting point.  Buy pasta sheets, use a quick cooking rice, roasted peppers and assorted items from the salad bar at any good grocery store.  Making it simple so you can get on with it!