MUNG BEANS, BLACK BELUGA LENTILS AND QUINOA SALAD

MUNG BEANS, BLACK BELUGA LENTILS AND QUINOA SALAD I tried this combination today and it was spectacular! I cooked the lentils following the instructions of soaking 1 cup of lentils in 4 cups of water with 1 tsp. of salt for about one hour. Then I simmered the lentils in the same salted water until tender (about 12-15 minutes).

Following, I rinsed the Mung beans, put them aside, and brought to boil 3 cups of water with 1/2 tsp of salt. While boiling I poured the beans and allowed the water to come back to boil, covered the sauce pan and cooked it until the water was all absorbed.  Did the same with the Quinoa, with a 2 to 1 ratio (2 cups of water to 1 cup of quinoa).

When all grains cooled, I combined some of each grain in a bowl and added fresh vegetables, namely julienned zucchini, chopped red pepper, celery, Roma tomatoes and shredded carrots.

I prepared a salad dressing with olive oil, Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar, a hint of honey and salt and pepper. I mixed it all with the salad dressing and to served I added some millimetre thick beet slices ( to avoid everything else getting red), slivered almonds and shaved Parmesan cheese. It was fabulous! Even my husband that continuously says that he is not a beans and lentils person, enjoyed it very much! Hope you like it as well!

Bon appétit !

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CHICKEN BREAST PLATTER WITH ROASTED & FRESH VEGETABLES

CHICKEN WITH ROASTED & FRESH VEGETABLES PLATTER

CHICKEN BREAST PLATTER WITH ROASTED & FRESH VEGETABLES

I had some leftover chicken from the previous night, allowing me to prepare my lunch with a healthy serving of warmed roasted chicken together with my much-loved roasted vegetables. This time I added a selection of roasted brussel sprouts, fennel, beets, parsnips, carrots and steamed baby Bok Choy. As always, I like to have a combination of fresh and cooked vegetables, so I added my customary avocado and tomatoes.

In the past I was not a fan of brussels sprouts, but prepared like this (roasted) they are fabulous! I cleaned them, cut the base a little, and divided them in half. I put them in a cookie sheet in a 425 degrees oven for 15 minutes on one side, turned them and put them back for another 15 minutes. I apply the same method to the carrots, beets, parsnips and fennel.

To serve I added a little bit of olive oil and apple cider vinegar, and of course salt and pepper to taste.
Bon Appétit

SPAGHETTI SQUASH SALAD PLATTER WITH ROASTED AND FRESH VEGETABLES

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SPAGHETTI SQUASH SALAD PLATTER WITH ROASTED AND FRESH VEGETABLES

It is the first time that I tried this dish and it was very, very tasty.
If you decide that you do not wish to have carbs during lunch but you want the visual satisfaction that you are having a traditional spaghetti dish, then this is it. It certainly was for me!

I prepared the spaghetti squash following the instructions I found on the web: cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, poured a little olive oil and added pepper; then, I put the two halves, cut side down, on a cookie sheet and placed them in a 375 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until you can easily pierce the skin with a fork. Let it cool, and then, with a fork, start separating the strands.

I added blanched kale and diced red pepper, seasoned with olive oil and apple cider vinegar, and added salt and pepper to taste. I finished the platter by adding some asparagus, tomatoes, and avocados sprinkled with shaved Parmesan cheese.  I found that the spaghetti squash had a neutral taste, but it took very nicely the flavour of the olive oil, vinegar and the parmesan cheese. Next time I will add to it some kind of pesto perhaps!

Bon Appétit

GARLIC ROASTED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM AND LENTIL SALAD WITH FRESH VEGETABLES

GARLIC ROASTED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM AND LENTIL SALAD WITH FRESH VEGETABLES

GARLIC ROASTED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM AND LENTIL SALAD WITH FRESH VEGETABLES

I love lentils and I love mushrooms so I decided to put them together in my luncheon vegetable platter. I cooked the lentils according to the packaging instructions and let them cool to room temperature. I then mixed them with chopped fresh yellow peppers, celery and sliced roasted garlic and added olive oil and apple cider vinegar to taste. I roasted the Portobello mushrooms with chopped garlic, olive oil and pepper and just before serving I topped it with a generous amount of goat cheese. I then put it back in the oven, just long enough for the cheese to warm up.

I added to my plate using the extra chopped yellow pepper and celery in addition to the customary tomato and avocado, and flavored with some olive oil and apple cider vinegar to the fresh vegetable portions. It was certainly delicious!
Bon Appétit!

AMARANTH SEEDS AND BUCKWHEAT (KASHA) SALAD

AMARANTH SEEDS AND BUCKWHEAT (KASHA) SALAD Now that the weather is turning cold I find myself looking for choices with more substance. This time I decided to try Amaranth seeds and paired it with Buckwheat (Kasha) to make a salad … Continue reading

CHICKPEAS AND BARLEY RISOTTO SALAD WITH SLICED ALMONDS AND FRESH VEGETABLES

CHICKPEAS AND BARLEY RISOTTO SALAD WITH SLICED ALMONDS AND FRESH VEGETABLES I had some leftover Barley Risotto – for fun, I call this Basotto – with turmeric and kale from yesterday and today I combined it with some chickpeas to … Continue reading

BARLEY SALAD PLATE WITH ROASTED AND FRESH VEGETABLES

BARLEY SALAD PLATE WITH ROASTED AND FRESH VEGETABLES As always, in my quest to constantly find variety for my vegetable lunches, I decided to try a Barley Salad, which I seasoned with two tablespoons of cilantro pesto (coriander) and crumbled … Continue reading