Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

This!  All I want to eat these days is this.  Bowl after bowl.  It is so yummy!

I just updated this recipe to reflect the measurements I actually use.  This is a very flexible recipe.  Feel free to experiment with ratios and ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut (or olive) oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 3 tbsp curry powder
• 4-5 cups vegetable broth (depending on how thick you want it)
• 2 can coconut milk
• 1 large can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (at least 400 g - id use 758g)
• 1 large can of fire roasted crushed tomatoes (at least 400 g - id use 758g)
• 2 cups dry red lentils

Directions

1. Heat coconut oil
2. saute onion, garlic and ginger until softened
3. Add curry, and red pepper flakes and stir until combined
4. Add in coconut milk, broth, diced tomatoes, and lentils
5. Bring to boil
6. Let simmer for at least 45 minutes, but up to 90 minutes, stirring regularly
7. EAT ALL THE SOUP!

Recipe adapted from Veganela.com

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• 1-½ tsp Cinnamon
• ¾ tsp Ginger
• ½ tsp Cloves
• ¼ tsp Nutmeg
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• ½ cups Light Brown Sugar
• ⅔ cups Vegetable Oil
• 3  Eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (from can)
• 4 Medium ripe bananas mashed
• Optional: Raw sugar, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin pepitas (for dusting loaf)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, gingers, clove, and nutmeg.  Set aside
3. Beat sugars and oil together
4. Mix in eggs
5. Mix in pumpkin
6. mix in mashed bananas
7. Fold in flour, 1/2 of the mixture at a time.  Don't over mix.
8. Fill 12 muffin tins 3/4 full
9. Use the rest of the batter in a 9x5 loaf pan.  
10. Optional: Sprinkle the loaf with raw sugar, pumpkin pie spice and raw pumpkin pepitas.
11. Bake muffins for 30 minutes 
12. Bake loaf for 60 minutes or until knife comes out clean

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen recipe.

Easy crispy chicken with carmelized lemon, tomato, and olives

This is the tastiest, easiest dinner.  My two older kids won't eat it, but my little gobbles it all up!  I serve over rice.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

2lbs (approx) mix of bone in and skin on chicken.  I've used breasts, thighs, legs, and a combo.  

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

3 lemon cut in half

1 cup pitted black olives

1 pint grape tomatoes

 handful of thyme (about 8-10 stems)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. 

3. Pat the chicken breasts dry, make sure they are very dry, and sprinkle the top with the salt. 

4. Place the chicken breasts, skin side down, in the heated oil and sear for 5 minutes, or until skin is crisp and golden brown.

5. Flip the chicken over. Add the lemon, olives, tomatoes and thyme to the skillet and transfer to the oven.

6. Roast for 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Adapted from: https://weelicious.com/2012/11/09/roast-chicken-with-caramelized-lemons-cherry-tomatoes-and-olives/

Banana bread with olive oil

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 ripe bananas
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
3. In a large bowl, cream together the eggs and sugar. Stir in the mashed bananas, vanilla, oil and cinnamon. 
4. Stir in the flour mixture, until just combined.  Less is more.
5. For muffins, bake for 17 minutes or until knife comes up clean.   For one loaf, bake for 60 minutes or until knife comes up clean

Adapted from Food Network