Three, Fun Ways to Cook Red Lentils

Lentils, lentils, lentils!

Lately, I have been obsessing over these small legumes. Not only are they packed with fiber, protein, iron, and potassium but they are also extremely versatile.  Who knew that you could make tofu and pizza with red lentils?!

I have been experimenting with red lentils and have decided that the following 3 recipes are my new, favorite ways to enjoy them.  I am not sure that I will ever go back to eating just plain lentils again.

The first recipe is by far and away my favorite.  I could not believe that you could use red lentils to make tofu!  Although the texture is a bit different, I found that I actually enjoy lentil tofu more than the original, soy version.  And of course, one can never go wrong when trying a recipe from Sam Turnbull of It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken.  I hope that you enjoy her recipe as much as I have.  Did I mention how easy and fast it is to make this recipe?!

I also really enjoy red lentil pizza dough.  I am not sure where we originally found this recipe but here it is:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup red lentils

• 1 garlic clove (I personally just pour a bunch of garlic powder in)

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Soak red lentils for 30 minutes, drain, rinse. Add to a blender with the other ingredients.

• Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Pour the batter for the dough and spread. Bake for 20 minutes.

• Add a sauce, your choice or toppings and bake for 5-10 more minutes.  My favorite toppings are basil, mint, bell pepper, zucchini, red onion and more garlic.

And the last red lentil recipe is a “Loaded Savory Oatmeal and Lentil Bowl” from the wonderful Angela Liddon of Oh She Glows. Talk about easy, quick to make, comforting and filling.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats

• 1/4 cup red lentils

• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 vegetable broth

• 1 small garlic cloves, minced (optional)

• 1 small shallot, chopped, or 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped onion (optional)

• fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Optional toppings:

• sliced avocado

• salsa

• chopped green onion

• hummus

• crackers

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the oats, lentils, broth, garlic (if using), and shallot (if using). Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 12 minutes, or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Spoon the oatmeal into a bowl, add your desired toppings and enjoy!

Did you make any of these red lentil recipes?  I would love to hear from you!  Be sure to tag me on Instagram (@aprilmoorhealth) to share.

Nice Cream!

Have you ever heard of nice cream?! It is like ice cream, but is dairy-free, healthy and doesn’t contain the additives (or suffering!) that dairy does.

Over the hot summer in San Diego, I can easily eat nice cream daily and have been known to consume it for breakfast (what, dessert for breakfast???).

One of the beauties of nice cream is that you can flavor it with anything but the base of any nice cream is frozen bananas. It is also beneficial to have a high speed blender.

Peel 3-5 ripe bananas and freeze them overnight (use more bananas for a larger serving).

Place the frozen bananas in the blender. You can add a drop of plant based milk/water to make it easier on the blender or leave as is.

Add any flavors that you would like. My favorites are cacao powder, peanut butter powder, or chocolate protein powder. You could also add strawberries, dates, vanilla extract, peppermint essential oil, or spirulina (of course, not all together).

Blend everything together until smooth and add toppings of your choice (granola, berries, cacao nibs, dairy-free chocolate chips, shredded coconut, etc).

It is truly that easy….and delicious!

Give it a try and be sure to let me know what flavors are your favorite.

Enjoy your summer, stay cool and eat nice cream!

Energizing Green Smoothie

I have started drinking this green smoothie every morning for breakfast and I am absolutely obsessed. I am not sure where the original recipe came from but it’s definitely been modified over time. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients:

• A few giant handfuls of spinach

• 3 frozen bananas

• 1-2 cups of your favorite plant milk or water (adjust the amount for your preferred level of thickness)

• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

• 1 tbsp. flaxseeds

• 1 giant pinch of cinnamon (I have been using ground saigon cinnamon for an extra kick)

Directions:

1. Peel and freeze the bananas the night before.

2. Add all of the ingredients into a high speed blender and blend. Add more liquid if the smoothie is too thick for your liking.

3. Enjoy!

Did you try this recipe? Be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @happyhealinvegan.

The Easiest, Dairy-Free, Cashew Cream RECIPE

This is the easiest, dairy free, CASHEW CREAM recipe. It is absolutely delicious and can be made in less than 5 minutes (without soaking the cashews). It’s perfect for salads, soups or dips (our favorite way to incorporate it is in a Garlicky Rosemary Potato Soup).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cashews

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• dried dill to taste (I prefer to use a lot!)

• 1/2 cup to 1 cup water

Directions:

1. For optimal digestion, be sure to soak the cashews in hot water for at least an hour (I often skip this step).

2. If you have soaked the cashews, drain and rinse them.

3. Place all of the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend. Start with half a cup of water and add more based on preferred thickness.

4. Enjoy!