Lentil Tacos
Serves around ~4 people (2 small tacos each)
Ingredients:
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/2 medium yellow or red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño, minced
2 cups shreds kale
optional: mushrooms, zucchini
corn or flour tortillas
2 limes, sliced in fours
taco toppings such as sour cream, hot sauce, pico de Gallo, guacamole, etc.
Instructions:
You’ll be using two separate frying pans.
In one pan on med-high heat, add in 1 tbsp olive oil, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, other veggies and sauté until golden/ some char is present. (Add kale in last once veggies are cooked so that it doesn’t become too soft).
In other pan on high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil, lentils, and veggie broth. Bring it to a boil then change to medium heat and let simmer until broth is evaporated.
Once broth is evaporated, add in taco seasoning to lentils and mix/sauté the lentils until crispy. Once crispy, mix in the veggies you cooked in the other pan.
Serve on a tortilla of choice, squeeze a 1/4 lime on taco, add toppings. Can pair with a side salad and fruit to make a balanced meal.
Lemon ricotta pasta
Serves ~3 people
Ingredients:
2 TBSp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 TBSP sun-dried tomatoes
1-2 yellow squash, chopped
2 cups spinach, loosely packed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp lemon zest
1 cup of part-skim ricotta
1 lemon squeezed
2 cups whole wheat fusilli pasta
Instructions:
In a frying pan on medium-high heat, sauté garlic, oil, tomatoes, yellow squash, red pepper flakes, and garlic salt until squash is tender. Later, add in spinach and stir into sautéed mixture until spinach is soft and tender. Turn on low-medium once everything is cooked.
While the squash is cooking, boil pasta in a pot with salt until al dente (cooked, but still a bite to it so that it doesn’t become too soft in sauce). NOTE- save 1/2 cup of cooked pasta water on the side.
In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Add the al dente pasta with the 1/2 cup pasta water and the ricotta mixture to the frying pan with the squash and spinach. Mix everything together until pasta and vegetables are fully coated with the lemon, ricotta sauce.
Serve with a lemon wedge and a protein source such as baked tofu or chicken with a side of fruit to make a balanced meal.
Pan Seared Salmon
Serves ~ 2 people
Ingredients:
1 6 oz room temperature salmon filet
1 lemon
1 TBSP canola oil
1 TBSP butter
Garlic salt
Black pepper
Instructions:
Use a cast iron or non-stick frying pan. Make sure your pan is hot prior to adding oil and cooking the fish (stove-high heat). As you are waiting for the pan to heat, make sure your salmon filets are room temperature for even searing. Season with garlic salt and pepper.
Once the pan is hot, add in oil and place the salmon filets skin side down. Sear for ~3-4 minutes, pressing down on the filets with a spatula. If the top begins to turn opaque pink, turn off stove and go to next step.
After the 3-4 minutes, turn off the stove and take the pan off of the burner. Add in the butter and turn over the salmon filets, flesh side down.
Let the salmon finish off cooking for about ~2 minutes. To check whether it is cooked, with tongs or a fork, press against the sides of the filet to see if it will start flaking.
After the 2 minutes, transfer the filets and remainder juices to a serving dish and squeeze lemon on top. Serve with a grain such as rice, a vegetable, and fruit for dessert!
* Yes, you can eat the skin too!