QUINOA with LENTILS & ROASTED VEGETABLES (a 2-3 banana difficulty level)

Sometimes ruts are good.  This recipe continues what I guess can be called a small series of recipes that involve Roasted Vegetables as well as the theme of 2 recipes in 1.  Today we will be adding Roasted Vegetables to Quinoa & Lentils.

Quinoa has been getting a lot of publicity over the past 1-2 years as a very nutritious food choice.  This new found fame is great except for the fact that the increase in demand has caused prices to increase 50-100% over about the same time period.  It seems like Quinoa is usually selling for $3.50 to $5 a pound.

Quinoa can be used in dishes the way rice is used.  It is quite versatile.  For this recipe I used French Green Lentils since they have the same cook time as the Quinoa I was using.

One more VERY important thing to know about Quinoa.  Be sure that you RINSE it before you use it.  Even when the package states it is pre-washed, I still rinse it in a strainer just to be sure.  Quinoa that is not rinsed before cooking has a less than appetizing flavor.

Enough with the housekeeping, today 'this monkey' will show you how to make a tasty & nutritious Quinoa with Lentils & Roasted Vegetables.  Let's get started!

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 1/2 c Quinoa - rinsed
1/2 c French Green Lentils
4 c Chicken/Vegetable Broth/Water (whatever makes you happy!)

2-3 Sweet Potatoes - rinsed, dried, & cut into 3/4 inch pieces
Cloves from 1 or 2 Head of Garlic - peeled
1/2 Purple Onion - cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt to Taste

Crushed Walnuts (optional)
Shredded Cheese - I used Stella Fontinella
Sliced Avocado (optional)
Kosher Salt to Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:
Mesh Strainer
2 Quart Pot or very Large Shallow Pan
Chef's Knife & Cutting Board
Roasting Pan or Cookie Sheet
Large Bowl

WHAT YOU DO:
1. Add the Broth to the Pot & bring to a boil. Also Pre Heat Oven to 400 deg & start prepping the Vegetables.  Make sure the Lentils & Quinoa are ready to go as well.

2. In batches, add your cut Vegetables & Whole Garlic Cloves, Drizzle with Olive Oil & Sprinkle with Kosher Salt, then shake or stir until well coated.

3.  Add the Quinoa & Lentils to the boiling Broth; Stir, Reduce heat to low & Simmer covered for 20-30 min.

4. Add the Garlic Cloves & cut Vegetables to the Roasting Pan. Roast in Oven for about 20-30 min until thoroughly Roasted. (Be sure to remove & stir one time during the Roasting)

Pre Roasting

Post Roasting

5.  Once the Quinoa & Lentils are to the point where there is just a VERY small amount of liquid in the bottom of the pan, remove the Pot from the heat.  Cover the Pot with a clean Dish Towel, then Place the lid on top of the Towel & Pot. Let sit for 10 minutes.  Then fluff the Quinoa & Lentils together.

6.  Take a generous scoop of the Quinoa & Lentils, then top with a generous scoop of the Roasted Vegetables.

7.  You can serve it as is, but I think it can be a bit bland at this point.  A sprinkling of Cheese, Nuts, Salt, Pepper etc really add to this dish.  And remember the Avocado!

And there you have it, Quinoa with Lentils & Roasted Vegetables!

Until next time, your favorite neighborweb monkey!

BROWN RICE and ROASTED VEGETABLES (a 2-3 banana difficulty level)

This is another 2 recipes in 1 set up.  Brown Rice usually takes just a little longer than the Roasted Vegetables, however the cook time can vary a bit depending on the Vegetable choices as well as the size of the Vegetable Pieces.

There's really not a whole lot to say about this recipe.  I think it makes good leftovers, so I usually double it!

Here we go!

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 c Medium Brown Rice - rinsed
2 c Chicken Broth
1/4 c Dried Cranberries

1-2 Sweet Potatoes - rinsed, dried, & cut into 3/4 inch pieces
5-6 (about 1/2 lb) Thick Stalks of Asparagus (bottom 1/3 discarded) - rinsed & cut into 3/4 inch pieces
Cloves from 1/2 Head of Garlic - peeled
2-3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:
Mesh Strainer
2 Quart Pot
Chef's Knife & Cutting Board
Roasting Pan or Cookie Sheet
Large Bowl

WHAT YOU DO:  (please note that the photos are from a doubled recipe)
1.  Add the Chicken Broth to the Pot & bring to a boil.  Also Pre Heat Oven to 400 deg & start prepping the Vegetables.

2.  Add the Brown Rice to the boiling Broth, Reduce heat to Low, Cover & Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
3.  In batches, add your cut Vegetables & Whole Garlic Cloves, Drizzle with Olive Oil & Sprinkle with Kosher Salt, then shake or stir until well coated. 

4.  Add the Garlic Cloves & cut Vegetables to the Roasting Pan.  Roast in Oven for about 30 min until thoroughly Roasted.  (Be sure to remove & stir one time during the Roasting)

About to be Roasted

Just got roasted

5.  After the 20 minutes, remove Rice from heat & add the Dried Cranberries.  Cover the Pot with a clean Dish Towel, then Place the lid on top of the Towel & Pot.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Then fluff the Rice & Cranberries.

6.  Serve by topping the Rice with the Roasted Vegetables.  Then Salt & Pepper to taste!

This is topped with Crushed Walnuts & Shredded Cheese

And there's dinner!

The chicken broth can be substituted by a different type of broth, or a type of tea, or just plain water.  Golden Raisins could replace the Dried Cranberries.  There is definitely some flexibility with the Roasted Vegetable selection.  Just do a quick web search to see if that vegetable roasts well.  Evidently carrots are NOT the easiest to roast, so choose wisely.  The towel technique is a tip from Cook's Illustrated.  It will absorb some of the steam while the Rice is resting & should produce fluffier rice.  I've also tried it with other grains such as Quinoa and it seems to work there as well!

Until next time,
your friendly neighborweb Monkey!

COLLARD GREENS AND RICE (a 2-3 banana difficulty level)

An interesting thing happens in your garden after the hottest summer ever in Texas.  After Winter passes and temperatures start to warm back up, things start growing in your garden that haven't been recently planted.  Hopefully notes were kept or the plants are recognized.  I started getting some Cauliflower & Broccoli, but I had 1 plant that had similar leaves to Cauliflower, but NO Cauliflower.  I was a bit perplexed until I looked back at my planting notes (yes, I make planting notes...) and discovered it was Collard Greens!  I've never cooked Collard Greens.  Heck, I don't think I've ever eaten Collard Greens.

So, 'this monkey' needed some guidance and "The Joy of Cooking" is a great place to start.

Today, 'this monkey' will show you how to make "Collard Greens & Rice!"

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 Bunch (about 12-16 oz) of Collard Greens (see recipe for prep work)
1 Bunch of Scallions - Chopped
4 Garlic Cloves - Minced
3-4 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 1/4 c Medium Grain Brown Rice
4 c Chicken Stock
4 T Fresh Fennel - Minced

Kosher Salt to taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Hot Sauce (Sriracha) to taste

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:
Chef's Knife
Cutting Board
6 Quart Pot
2 Quart Pot
Large Spoon

WHAT YOU DO:
1.  Prepare the Collard Greens by washing & patting dry the Greens as well as stemming them & chopping them (see photos)

To remove the coarse stem make 1 slice along a side

and then make another slice along the other side.  Discard the stem and keep the leaf portions

2.  Take 4-5 Leaves and roll them up like a cigar, then chop the leaves

Set aside for now

3.  Heat the Olive Oil over Medium High heat in the Large Pot
4.  Add the Chopped Scallion & Saute for 5 min, then reduce heat to Medium & add the Garlic.  Saute for 3 min.

5.  In the smaller pot, bring the Chicken Broth to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low to keep very hot. 
6.  Add the Collard Greens to the Onions & Garlic; cover, cook, & occasionally stir for 10 minutes

Collard Green just added

Cooked down for 5 min

Cooked down for the 10 minutes

7.  Add the Brown Rice & stir until well coated.  Cook for 3-5 min until the Rice starts to become opaque.

8.  Now add the Very Hot Chicken Broth, Chopped Fennel, Salt & Pepper.  Bring this to a Boil, then Reduce to Low heat & Simmer covered for 15 min.

9.  Remove from heat, Place a towel under the lid to absorb moisture, & let rest for 10 min

 10.  Stir to fluff up the Rice

11.  Serve as is or maybe mix in some Hot sauce and/or sauteed Red Peppers and Walnuts!

And there you have it, Collard Greens & Rice.  Honestly, I think the prep work to stem and cut the Collard Greens is the hardest part.

Enjoy and until next time,
Your favorite neighbor web Monkey!