Tag: healthy

Easy Lentil Soup with Serving Tips

After three weeks of long days at the office, helping our community recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, I finally had a weekend to settle back into the kitchen. I wanted to make something hearty, comforting, and reminiscent of home—something to fill the house with warmth and the familiar scent of fall. This lentil soup was the first weekend meal I made, and it was the perfect choice.

Inspired by my mom’s Christmas lentil soup, which she often pairs with cornbread, this version has become a family favorite. The rich, earthy flavor of the lentils, paired with a hint of tomato paste and balsamic vinegar, feels like the warmth and stability we all need right now. Even the kids love it, perhaps because it brings back memories of Grandma’s cozy kitchen during the holidays.

Serving Tips

  • Garlic Toast: Slice a crusty baguette or sourdough, spread with olive oil or vegan butter, add a sprinkle of garlic powder or minced fresh garlic, and toast until golden brown. It’s the ideal companion for scooping up every last bite.
  • Sautéed Green Beans: Sauté green beans with a little olive oil, salt, and garlic until tender-crisp, then finish with a squeeze of lemon juice for a bright contrast to the soup’s hearty flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • 6-7 cups vegetable broth (or more as needed, I used Better Than Bullion)
  • 2-3 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the Base:

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened.
  • Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Add Seasonings and Tomato Paste:

  • Stir in tomato paste and balsamic vinegar, cooking for 1 minute to blend the flavors.
  • Add cumin, smoked paprika, and ground coriander, stirring well.

Add Lentils and Liquid:

  • Add the lentils, vegetable broth, water, and bay leaf. Stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30–40 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add more water if necessary to reach your desired consistency.

Adjust Seasoning and Serve:

  • Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a splash of balsamic if desired.Ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve with lemon wedges for a fresh twist.

No-Bake Vegan Pumpkin Protein Bites

Any other over achieving parents in the room, killing it in the kitchen on the weekend so their family can have a healthier week without a lot of hassle? I see you! And I give you pumpkin protein bites to support your ambitious efforts.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • ½ – 1 cup cup peanut butter (natural, unsweetened works best)
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste)
  • 2 scoops vanilla vegan protein powder
  • Handful of raisins or chocolate chips if you’re feeling fancy!

Instructions:

  1. Mix the ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, peanut butter, rolled oats, maple syrup, and vanilla protein powder. Stir until everything is well combined and the mixture holds together.
  2. Form the bites: Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture for each bite, then roll it into a ball with your hands. Repeat this process to make 12 protein bites.
  3. Chill and store: Place the bites on a plate or in a container, and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes to firm up. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

You can adjust the ingredients to achieve the texture that holds is shape easily.  Store in the fridge and use them to save your kids from hangry attacks late in the afternoon. 

Easy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce: A Kid-Friendly Recipe

This past weekend, I made Vegan Pumpkin Sauce for Pasta, and it was an unexpected hit with the kids! As soon as the garlic and herbs started sizzling in the pan, they wandered into the kitchen, intrigued by the smell.  I was happily surprised by their interest—pumpkin sauce isn’t the first thing I’d expect them to get excited about trying.

This sauce is everything I love about fall cooking: cozy, warm, and full of flavor without being overpowering. It’s a mix of fragrant garlic, rosemary, sage, and thyme, with just a hint of smoky chipotle chili powder to give it a little depth.It’s creamy from the pumpkin puree and a bit of plant-based milk, yet light enough for an easy weeknight dinner. The best part? It’s not just a one-time meal—I made enough to fill two 16-ounce jars (yes, those are peanut butter jars), leaving a little headroom so I can freeze them for up to three months. This means future dinners are already half-prepped!I plan on using this sauce with fettuccine topped with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan, and served alongside either lemony, garlicky green beans or sautéed kale.

It’s such a cozy and comforting combo, perfect for those cooler weekends when you want something warm but not too heavy. The sauce is flavorful without being too strong, so even picky eaters might enjoy it! Next time, I’m thinking about using this sauce in a vegan lasagna instead of marinara. I’m excited to see how the creamy pumpkin sauce plays with layers of pasta, veggies, and vegan cheese. I think it’ll add a nice seasonal twist to a classic dish.

If you’re looking for a new, comforting recipe that’s easy to prep ahead, this pumpkin sauce is the perfect addition to your fall menu. It’s a time-saver for busy weekends and makes for a really nice dinner, whether you’re dressing up pasta or trying something new like lasagna!Storage Tip: If you plan on freezing the sauce like I did, make sure to leave some headroom in the jars or containers so it has space to expand. When you’re ready to use it, just thaw it in the fridge overnight, and you’ll have a flavorful sauce ready to go. Perfect for making those busy weekends a little easier and more delicious!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • A pinch of ground ginger
  • A touch of smoky chipotle chili powder (to taste)
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 cups vegetable broth (Better Than Bouillon brand recommended)
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup neutral plant-based milk (organic unsweetened soy recommended)
  • 1 tbsp vegan butter (Earth Balance recommended)
  • 1 can of organic pumpkin puree

Directions:

Sauté the Garlic and Herbs: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, and a pinch of ground ginger. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant and the herbs have softened, about 2-3 minutes.

  1. Add the Chipotle and Salt: Stir in a touch of smoky chipotle chili powder and salt to taste. Cook for an additional 30 seconds to let the flavors meld.
  2. Pour in the Broth: Slowly add the vegetable broth and stir, bringing the mixture to a simmer.
  3. Incorporate the Pumpkin: Whisk in the pumpkin puree until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Allow it to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add Plant-Based Milk and Butter: Lower the heat and stir in the plant-based milk and vegan butter. Let the sauce simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it thickens to your desired consistency.
  5. Serve: Toss with your favorite cooked pasta and enjoy!

Sephardic Spinach Patties

Just thinking about this recipe makes me want to light a candle in the kitchen when the sun has set early in the evening and dinner feels much later than it actually is. This recipe was shared with me from my mother-in-law approximately one million years ago – or more specifically just a few weeks after our first wedding anniversary as we prepared for Thanksgiving. I’m not sure if it’s origin, but I suspect it is from the Moosewood Inn cookbook, but has evolved over time in her kitchen and in mine. This recipe pairs well with couscous with vegetables and chickpeas, rice with dried apricots and pine nuts, rice and lentil stuffed bell peppers, spiced potatoes.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 lbs fresh spinach, stemmed, cooked, chopped, and squeezed dry (20 oz frozen,   squeezed dry)
  • 1 cup fine dried bread crumbs
  • about ¾ t salt
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ t grated nutmeg or 1 ½ t cayenne
  • substitute for 3 eggs (I use Just Egg or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer)
  • oil for frying
  • lemon wedges for serving

Directions

  • Heat oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft—about 5 min.
  • Remove from heat and add spinach,bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg or cayenne. 
  • Stir in egg substitute.  If the mixture is too loose, add a little more bread crumbs.
  • Shape the spinach mixture into patties.  In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium heat.  In batches, fry the patties, turning, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. 
  • Drain on paper towels.  Serve warm with lemon wedges

butternut squash soup

It’s late summer and the butternut squash are in a familiar place – piled up in a box in the utility room waiting to be turned into my favorite fall recipes — like this one. I’m eyeing the forecast waiting for the first hint of fall in the air. When it arrives (soon I hope!) I will be bring the golden relaxed vibes to the dinner table with ginger butternut squash soup.

This is an elegant soup with a lovely texture, but don’t be fooled, it’s little more than chopping, sauteing and cooking it down. The garlic, ginger, and onion will immediately put a smile on your face. Note, in a hurry I have been known to saute the onion and garlic for about five minutes, throw in the rest of the ingredients and boil the hell out of it because I was in a hurry to put something warm on the table. While the texture suffers a bit and the flavors are less developed, but no one around the table seems to notice.

There are many ways to make a meal out of this soup – here are a few of my favorites:

  • Simple spinach salad on the side, toasted sourdough, with a swirl of olive oil and sprinkle of hot pepper
  • A plop of vegan butter and salt atop the soup, toasted with smashed avocado
  • Olive oil and swirl (or two) of sriracha for the soup, crusty bread pan fried with a little butter with either jammy tomatoes or a thick slice of fresh tomatoes. There are almost always some large Cherokee purple tomatoes on the vine when I make my first batch. If opting for a fresh tomato, a thin layer of vegan mayor and a little salt will brighten and deepen the flavor profile all at once.

Ingredients

  • 1 large butternut squash, scooped and chopped
  • 1 small/medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
  • 1 spring fresh rosemary (off stem, chopped)
  • 3-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 4-ish cups veggie broth (though, I have used water and extra herbs in a pinch)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

  • In a large pot, saute yellow onion, apple and squash, olive oil and salt over medium heat until the onions are translucent,8-10 minutes.
  • Add garlic, ginger, and rosemary and stir for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
  • Add a veggie broth and bring to a boil, then turn to simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until squash is very tender.
  • Uncover and let it cool slightly before pureeing – I prefer the immersion blender because it is one less thing to clean up!
  • Add small small amounts of vegetable broth to achieve the desired texture.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.