Eat Simply, Eat Well

Healthy recipes & tips to help you live the good life. by Ann Plough

Pomegranate, Mint and Beluga Lentil Salad

by

Pomegranate, Mint and Beluga Lentil Salad

I feel like celebrating.  Why?  Because I was walking along my normal route last night and heard the waves lapping against the shoreline for the first time in months.  Yes, there are still ice floes bobbing up and down out there, but still – waves. I love the sound of waves.  Today, I also noticed that the ground is more green than white.  So while my friends in Seattle are posting pictures of blooming forsythia and daffodils and magnolia (you know who you are my dear people), I will settle for the few tiny buds I see forming on the ends of branches, the signs of weeds working their way up through the thawing soil and the grass emerging under the mostly melted snow.

If I had grown up in a place with serious winters, this might seem commonplace.  But every year I feel a sense of dread as the cold days arrive (the darkness doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the cold).  And every year, I am first in line to celebrate even the smallest indication that yes indeed, we’ve made it through another one, and Spring is on its way. And I am probably one of the first to break out my summer dresses and flip flops as the days start to get longer and brighter and warmer.

Pomegranate: one of the most beautiful fruits I’ve ever seen.

Which means pretty soon it’ll be summer, and maybe then it will be hot around here.  And if it’s hot, we’ll be needing a long list of salad options that include items fresh from the garden, including vast quantities of mint – about the only thing that grows with great abundance all over the place, especially in the spots in which it has not been planted, but nevertheless wishes to take over.  And there I am, applying human emotion to things in nature, an error my college English professor would have called “pathetic fallacy”, and would have reminded me that an inanimate object, in truth, never actually wishes anything or thinks at all.  But never mind, Spring and it’s abundance of mint and other green things does strange things to our behavior, so I’ll forgive myself that little slip.

Mint is one of the few things this salad has in common with the warmer months.  Otherwise, this salad highlights the jewel-like pomegranate, still abundant now; the earthy lentils that are harvested each fall, and is flavored with lemon and orange, arguably fruits of Winter but available anytime.

I made this salad for dinner and served it with whole grain sunflower seed sourdough on the side. It’d work well as a side salad too, but with the abundance of legumes, vegetables and seeds, it’s perfectly filling on its own. So make the best of the last of the Winter produce – we’ll be dining on rhubarb, strawberries and asparagus soon.

The colors are ready for a celebration too…

Pomegranate, Mint and Beluga Lentil Salad

1/2 cup / 1 dl dried Beluga Lentils 
2 cups / 500 ml water
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1/2 English cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
10 Brussels sprouts, halved, core removed, thinly sliced
1/4 cup / 1/2 dl mint leaves, roughly chopped
seeds from 1/2 pomegranate*
2 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds
juice of one lemon
zest of one orange
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the lentils in a fine sieve.  Combine the lentils and water in a small pot, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

While the lentils cook, prepare the rest of your ingredients.  Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, reserving a few mint leaves and pomegranate seeds for garnish.  When the lentils are ready, drain through a fine sieve, then pour the hot lentils directly onto the vegetables.  Stir well to combine.

Salad may be served immediately as a warm salad, or refrigerated and served later.  It travels well, and can be made up to one day ahead if you want to make it for lunch the next day or for a picnic or potluck.

Serves 2 as a main course.

*To deseed a pomegranate, roll it around on the countertop, pressing down lightly as you hear a slight popping sound.  Cut the pomegranate in half around the middle i.e. “equator” just deep enough to puncture the skin.  Using your fingertips, and holding the pomegranate over a bowl to catch any drips or wayward seeds, pull the two halves apart.  Set one half on the countertop.  Use your fingers again to break the pomegranate open slightly. Then hold the pomegranate half, seed side down, in your open palm with your fingers spread open.  Using the handle of a wooden spoon, rap the top of the pomegranate firmly to knock the juicy seeds out and into the waiting bowl.  Continue until most of the seeds are removed.  There are always the stubborn few you’ll need to remove with your fingers, but most will fall easily into the bowl.  Remove any wait pith that has fallen into the bowl.  Continue happily with the recipe.

Kidney Bean, Kale and Barley Soup

by

The wind is howling and puffing and blowing outside and it’s been doing that all day.  I live at the top of an 8-story apartment building, and I can hear the whistling of the wind, the rattling of the window pane and the whole building feels like it may be swaying just a bit.  Probably unlikely, though – this building has been here since the 1950s, so I don’t think we’re going anywhere.

I love a windy day – especially a day like this one when it really isn’t very cold outside.  I just took a short walk, and love the way the wind gusted up around the trees and buildings, across my face, through the hat I was wearing and pushing my winter coat back against me.  There is something about standing there, leaning slightly into the heavy gusts, looking out into the dark, starless night, that I found so enlivening and refreshing.  Woohoo!  Bring it on.

Here’s a hearty soup that’s well-suited for a windy winter day like this one.  It takes a bit of pre-planning since you’ll need to soak the grains and beans, but you can pop them in a bowl with water before you go to bed and they’ll be ready to go by the time you need them the next day.  Or you could use canned beans and pre-cooked grains leftover from something else, and then this comes together in about 20 minutes.

The soup has one secret, unusual, and completely crucial ingredient: the juice of one Clementine.  This adds a bright, sweet note without the sharpness that lemon juice or vinegar might bring.  Enjoy!

Kidney Bean, Kale and Barley Soup

1 cup kidney beans, soaked overnight, soaking water drained away, and rinsed
1/2 cup barley, soaked overnight, soaking water drained away, and rinsed
3 cups water
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery rib, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
leaves from 4 thyme sprigs
2-3 kale leaves, ribs removed and chopped small
2 cups / 500 ml vegetable broth or 2 cups water + 2 tablespoons homemade bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
Juice of one Clementine

In a medium pot, combine the beans, barley and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 40 minutes.

While the beans and barley cook, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft and beginning to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme leaves and cook for 2 minutes more.  Add the beans, barley and cooking water all at once.  Add the vegetable broth or water+homemade bouillon.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to medium heat, and cook for 15 minutes.  Take a bite of the beans and barley to make sure they are cooked.  If they are done, add the kale, and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes to let the kale soften.  Remove from heat.  Add salt and pepper if needed.  Serve.

Serves 4

Meatless Monday: Bok Choy, Ginger and Mushrooms with Lentils

by

Bok Choy, Ginger and Mushrooms with Lentils

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ve noticed that I love the cruciferous vegetable family in all of its forms:  Brussels sprouts, Savoy cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, to name just a few of the wonderful vegetables in it.

Now I have a new one for you to try and this is close to the top of the list for nutritional value deliciousness potential.

Bok Choy (also Buk Choi, Pak Choi or combinations thereof) is one of the healthiest of the entire group, but can be a bit harder to find here in Helsinki.  My favorite spot to buy it is from the Asian grocery story; in the US and the UK it’s a bit easier to come by in your neighborhood store.  It has high levels of 21 nutrients including omega-3s and zinc, and also includes 70 antioxidant phenolic substances.  It has high amounts of beta carotene and vitamin A, C and K.  This is a vegetable you want to be eating.

In the spirit of “Meatless Monday”, I wanted to use an vegetarian protein source and chose Du Puy lentils for their outstanding flavor, speed of cooking, and because they too, are a nutritional powerhouse.  The high amounts of magnesium they contain help your body absorb calcium and keep your heart happy as well. They are also full of folate, protein, fiber, iron, and a number of all nutrients that make for a strong digestive system, stable blood sugar levels, and steady energy.

Maybe it’s because Bok Choy is a chinese cabbage used widely in Asian foods that I leaned toward Asian flavorings in this dish as well.  The cabbage is mildly sweet with a tender crunchy texture when cooked properly (read: not overcooked) and pairs really well with the ginger and mushrooms in the savory, slightly spicy sauce.  The lentils round out the meal to make a satisfyingly hearty dish without being heavy.  And the best part is, it takes

The thought of missing meat won’t even cross your mind.

Bok Choy, Ginger and Mushrooms with Lentils

Bok Choy, Ginger and Mushrooms with Lentils

1.  Cook the lentils:
1/2 cup whole dried lentils: Du Puy, Brown or Green
1.5 cups water
1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon soy sauce, or more to taste

Combine all of the ingredients except for the soy sauce in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cover.  Cook for 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.  Drain the lentils and remove garlic clove.  Stir in soy sauce; taste; if desired add more soy sauce.

2.  Cook the vegetables
2 tablespoons rapeseed or other cooking oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 liter of shiitake or dusky wax cap mushrooms, cleaned, trip, and cut into large pieces
1/2″ piece of ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2-3 teaspoons of Schiracha sauce, depending on how spicy you like things
5-6 heads of baby Bok Choy, root ends removed, washed, and cut into large pieces
salt and pepper to taste
black sesame seeds to serve

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the onions and mushrooms.  Cook until the onions are tender and translucent and the mushrooms have released most of their liquid.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook 2 minutes more.  Add the broth, reduce heat to a simmer, and allow the mixture to simmer for 8 – 10 minutes.  Add the Bok Choy, cover the pan, and cook for another 3 minutes until lightly steamed and crunchy tender.  Remove the lid and stir the vegetable mixture so the Bok Choy is covered with the sauce.  Taste to check the seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.

3.  Plate it up
Divide the lentils between two plates.  Arrange the vegetable mixture over the top and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

Serves 2.