Good Food!

We just had an amazing gourmet meal that was tantalizingly delicious, deeply satisfying, vegan, lo-cal and a blast to prepare! I do know the tradition is to eat a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, pumpkin pie etc. but I’m a vegetarian, ertswhile vegan, for goodness sake…and I still wanted some exceptional food on this special day.

It doesn’t get much better than this for a vegan feast. We marinated baby Dutch Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Red Peppers, Red Onions, Zucchini, Garlic, Fennel, Turnips, Brussel Sprouts and Parsnips in Virgin olive oil, lime, sea salt and fresh ground pepper and then slow-roasted them. This was served up with a side of Orzo, Wild Rice, Roasted Leek, Raisin & Walnuts. A fantastic Cilantro dipping sauce tied everything together to make it one of the best meals we’ve had!

This recipe is from The Greek Vegetarian by Diane Kochilas

1 cup wild rice, rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes
1 cup baby lentils, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium-sized carrots, washed, peeled, and diced (or grated)
2 celery ribs, washed, trimmed, and minced (optional)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (or pressed)
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

4 to 6 servings

1. Drain the rice and place in a medium-sized pot with 4 cups of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove and drain.

2. While rice is cooking, place the lentils in a medium-sized pot and cover them with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until tender but al dente, about 20 minutes. As the lentils simmer, skim the foam from the surface. Remove, drain in a colander, and rinse under cold water.

3. While the lentils and rice are simmering, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet and sauté the carrots (if diced) and the celery (if using) for 6 to 7 minutes, until tender but al dente. Add the garlic and cumin seeds and stir for another minute. Remove from heat.

4. Place the wild rice, lentils, and vegetables in a medium-sized serving bowl, and toss to combine. Season with remaining olive oil, salt, pepper and rice vinegar. Let stand for 1 hour before serving.

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