Food is a source of happiness – both in my tummy and in my soul. Perhaps that’s why I like it so much.
I like it when I stand in the kitchen over a misty pan of caramelizing onions, garlic, and ginger. When I whirr up a frothy cappuccino. When I hand sed frothy cappuccino to a cappuccino-loving friend. When I talk to my friends about recipes and future food endeavors. In the middle of the night in my slipper socks and extra big (and therefore comfy) pajamas with a spoon in the peanut butter and honey jars. Even when I stand at the sink, looking out of a water-stained window and onto some empty parking spots covered with amber leaves.
It’s true. I love me some quality cooking time followed by a thorough dish cleaning.
Besides all that, food tastes pretty great. The combination of smooth and creamy topped with crunchy, sweet and salty, palate and mouthfeel and, Caaal, would you open the duaaah for the guestssss. Open up a boddle of champagne to go with the bon bons and caviar mousse! (I hope you could tell where I tried to go with an English accent.)
What really gets me is the combination of great tasting and healthy food. Eating healthy doesn’t mean bland and eating healthy doesn’t mean expensive. Healthy eating is all about habit and lifestyle.
I’ll have to tell you guys about my food philosophies and pet peeves later, but for right now, just know that healthy can start with dinner tonight.
Healthy doesn’t mean cutting out all sugar and butter from your diet cold turkey. Health is the lifestyle you lead in which you feel good and your body and brain functioning are prime time.
Healthy is not slender and healthy is not going to the gym every day. Healthy is feeling good about your body and keeping it primed and prepped for many years of life. Healthy takes time and healthy takes patience.
But this is certainly one recipe to get you started. What’s more nourishing than a pot of beans and rice? This is quintessential college food, cold day food, cheap and quick food right here.
So this is for you, all you bloggers and foodies, mommies and daddies, students and professors, kids and adults. This is a nourishing pot of lentils, scented with the aforementioned caramelizing onions, garlic, and ginger. It’s a keeper recipe that first warms your heart. Then seeps into your veins, and leaves you with the resounding happiness of a perfectly full belly.
It’ll thank you for the fuel. And your roommates will thank you for smelling up the house.
Ginger lentils and wild rice
adapted from Eat.Live.Run
serves 3-4
In a large stock pot, heat 1.5 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mince 1/2 onion, 1 celery stalk, and 2 large carrots. Add to pot and sauté until everything begins to caramelize, ~8 minutes. You may need to adjust the cooking temperature to ensure slight browning and not scorching. Next finely grate enough fresh ginger for 2 heaping tablespoons and mince 2 garlic cloves. Add this to the pot along with 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 cups lentils, at least 3 cups water (more water if you want softer lentils), and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Bring the pot to a boil before reducing to simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until most of the cooking liquid has been absorbed and lentils are thick and tender. Stir in the juice from 1 lemon and serve on a bed of wild rice. Viola – dinner for the week!
PS- This tastes just as delicious wrapped in a tortilla with a bit of lettuce, that same wild rice, half of an avocado, and cilantro.
