Apple Lentil Salad, Vegetarian Chili, Corn Bread, Upside-down Pear Gingerbread
Apple Lentil Salad
Serves 6-8. We doubled it to serve a crowd.
Ingredients
1 cup lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2 tart apples (cored and diced)
1/4 cup lemon juice or cider vinegar
2 potatoes (cooked, cooled, and chopped)
1 small onion (thinly sliced)
handful fresh or frozen parsley (chopped)
Directions
1. Soak lentils in a large amount of hot water for 15 minutes.
2. In large saucepan heat oil. Add salt and curry powder and heat until bubbly. Drain lentils, add to saucepan, and fry briefly.
3. Add the 2 cups water and cook until absorbed (adding more water if needed to cook lentils until tender), about 20 minutes. Drain any excess water. Cool.
4. Combine apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. Add to lentils when cooled.
5. Add remaining ingredients and salt to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Vegetarian Chili
Serves about 12.
Ingredients
2 pounds any combination of dried beans such as pink, pinto, kidney, navy, soy, black or chickpeas
1 cup sweet red pepper (chopped)
1 cup green pepper (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
8 cups tomatoes (canned or fresh; chopped)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon honey or molasses
1 butternut squash (peeled, seeded and shopped into 1/2 in cubes)
1 chipotle or jalepeno pepper (minced, seeds removed)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Directions
1. Rinse and soak beans overnight. Drain water. Cook in fresh water until soft, 45 - 60 minutes or longer, depending on the beans used.
*to save time, we used 6 cans of beans and a can of corn
2. In a large soup pot, saute onions, garlic and sweet peppers in a tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Add tomatoes, salt and honey or molasses. Add beans, squash and spices. Simmer for 45 minutes.
Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread
Serves 9. We doubled it and it went fast!
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound butter
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
- Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread
Serves 8. We doubled it (who doesn't love desert?).
Syrup
Ingredients
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon water
2 ripe pears (peeled, cored and sliced)
Directions
1. Combine first four ingredients in an ovenproof, microwaveable casserole dish. Microwave on low until butter melts. Stir.
*We made our syrup on the stove in a small saucepan and poured it into baking dishes.
2. Arrange pear slices on top of syrup.
Gingerbread
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1/cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg, allspice and salt
1/3 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses or honey
1/2 cup buttermilk
Directions
1. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
2. Beat together butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until light an fluffy. Add egg and beat another minute.
3. Alternately add molasses and buttermilk with dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Spoon over pears in baking dish. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F/ 180C until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool about three minutes. Turn onto a platter. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream if desired.
*We had to bake ours a little longer, it turned out a bit messy on the first try :)
