January - Not Just For Salads Anymore

I love the enthusiasm we all feel in January for healthy eating!  We need to feel cleansed after the holiday overload.  But if we limit our worthy food revival to salads we'll be bored before the New Year's Eve confetti is cleaned up and back to comforting ourselves with the cheese board pulled from the back of the fridge. (*)

It's not the lettuce that will cure our ills - it's the fruit and vegetables, the whole grains, the missing chocolate, the potatoes without goose fat, lean meats not glazed meats en croute… Fill your body full of goodness using all the fare at your disposal.  Keep it exciting and you might keep it up.  

Here are 3 vegetarian dishes full of flavours inspired by Indian and Cuban cuisine - the only leaf in sight a scattering of coriander.


Piquant Vegetarian Rice & Beans, Cuban Style
The whole grain of brown rice gives you lots of fibre and minerals without a lot of calories or fat.   Chickpeas (and other legumes), also high in minerals and fibre, are an important source of protein for vegetarians.  

Ingredients:
200 - 250 mls (3/4 - 1 cup) short grain brown rice (+water to boil)
1 large red bell pepper, medium dice 
2 tomatoes, medium dice
1 400 gram can of chick peas, drained & rinsed
1 medium onion, diced
2 fat cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 twists of black pepper (or 1/4 teaspoon ground)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

First make rice:  rinse rice and put in saucepan with double the amount of water.  Cover, bring to boil and turn down to simmer for 25 minutes.  Drain rice of any excess water when finished.

In a non-metallic mixing bowl, add marinade ingredients:  olive oil, lime juice, paprika, oregano, sea salt, black pepper, cumin and garlic.  Mix together.

Dice onion, pepper and tomatoes and add to bowl.  Toss well in marinade to coat.  Add chick peas and toss again.  

Put marinated veg and beans into a casserole, dutch oven or large saucepan that has a lid.  Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for approximately 25 minutes.  Long enough for chickpeas to soften, but before peppers have gone mushy.

Put rice into bowl used for marinating to get the most of the flavors - as there is no meat in the this recipe, the marinade isn't contaminated.  Add the cooked bean/veg mixture and mix gently to combine.  

If you're not vegan, you can serve with a dollop of low fat yogurt mixed through to add creaminess, though it's not necessary.

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Sag Aloo
This spinach and potato Indian dish can be used as a side or a main depending on your view of what makes a meal. 
Don't forget - potatoes are a health food!  Don't let their relatively high glycemic index rating keep you from eating them.  They are a low fat & calorie, nutrient dense vegetable.   

Ingredients:
4 cups potatoes, peeled & diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup diced onion
6 large handfuls of spinach (I used baby - if not, remove hard stems)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
freshly ground black pepper


Peel and dice potatoes - put into a pot of boiling water and parboil for 7 minutes.  The potatoes should be slightly soft; not hard but not too mushy.  Drain and allow to dry. 

Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a wok or large pan, heat and add potatoes.   Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking - midway thru sprinkle with sea salt.

Remove potatoes from pan and set aside for time being.  Add spices and onion to wok/pan and stir fry for a few minutes, coating the onions.  Add 6 large handfuls of washed spinach.  Toss to coat with spices and then add 1/4 cup of water, stirring constantly.  Add 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (can use lemon juice - but I like the sweetness of the orange juice paired with the garam masala and spices.) Stir.  


Add the potatoes back in and stir through.  Finish with a few twists of black pepper.

And finally, I made an updated version of a recipe I posted in October (click here for original)  

Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry Stew

Ingredients:
1/2 large onion or 1 small, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 butternut squash (2 heaping cups) peeled, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed thoroughly
3 cups of water
(salt & pepper to taste)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
coriander (cilantro) leaves, torn
dollop of low fat natural yogurt


Rinse lentils and prepare squash, onions and garlic.  


In a large saucepan or stock pot, sauté onions in olive oil.  Add garlic and spices: cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper.  

Add butternut squash and lentils.  Mix through.  

Add water, stir and cover to cook for 25-30 minutes.  Check to see that lentils and squash have softened. 

Taste to check seasoning and add a little salt and/or pepper.  

Add lemon juice, stir through.  

Serve with a dollop of low fat natural yogurt (unless vegan) and sprinkle with a few torn coriander leaves.  

(*Instead of slathering the cheeseboard chutneys on a cracker, why not put a dollop on some sautéd veg with poached eggs and start the day right?  Click here for previous  Gear Up  post. )