Rice, grains, beans (and some happy kids)

FRIDAY WHOLE FOOD RECIPE REVIEW
(I apologize for the crazy layout from yesterday- I had to rewrite the post and I lost your comments. Ugh. One day I will figure out Blogger.)

Spring will officially arrive tomorrow, but winter foods still reign as we wait for the warmer weather to bring about all our favorite greens (at least for those of us who live North of Florida). So even though we have been doing a lot of this:


if you are trying to be conscious of the seasons and eat (somewhat) local foods, you may still be eating heartier meals with less than exotic ingredients. Salads are coming soon...I promise! For today, I want to share two new recipes I tried this week, and one old stand-by.

Erin submitted the following, and she was right- I could eat it for days on end (and have)!

Nutty Wild Rice Salad
(Original Recipe Source: Erin, from Hutchinlove)

1 14oz can chicken broth (or homemade broth)

1 c wild rice

3/4 c shredded carrots

1/2 c dried currants (or raisins)

1/4 c sliced green onions

3/4 c toasted chopped walnuts (or pecans...I just like walnuts in this better)

1 recipe Curry Balsamic Vinaigrette - In a screwtop jar, combine 3 TBS olive oil, 2 TBS balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp dry mustard, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder.

(I like a bit less vinegar in mine...I find that a ratio of 2:1 oil and vinegar works better for this dressing.)

1. In medium saucepan, combine broth and rice. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Let cool.

2. Stir carrots, walnuts, currants, and onions into rice. Add vinaigrette - toss to coat.

(Ed. note: I used craisins instead of currents, and red onion instead of green. It probably wasn't as pretty as hers, but it's what I had on hand. Also, if you throw some chicken in there I bet it would be a great main dish!)

Baked Lentils w/Cheese
(Original Recipe source: modified from the More with Less Cookbook)

The seasonings are what make this hearty meatless meal so inviting and much to his own surprise, even my husband really enjoys this dish! I serve it over brown rice and either with hot crusty bread, or a salad (or both if we have company.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the following ingredients: 1 3/4 cups lentils, rinsed
2 cups water
1 whole bay leaf 2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon each marjoram, sage, thyme
2 large onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced tomatoes (canned or homemade) Cover tightly and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and stir in the following:
2 large carrots, sliced 1/8" thick (I've never measured) :)
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery (I don't use) Bake covered 40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with: 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake uncovered for 5 more minutes until cheese melts.

My favorite dinner- Chili and Cornbread

(Original recipe source: The Nourishing Gourmet)

This is also a great link for tips on soaking beans and grains if you don't want to use canned beans. Since the earliest days of our marriage my husband has always made the chili in this family. It's not for the faint of heart (or pregnant, heart-burn laden...or children for that matter). So my first attempt at coming up with a family friendly recipe took me here, and I was pleased with the result. I made a few changes: I added a lot more water (incrementally, until I was satisfied with the consistency), and we threw in some frozen corn. The spices were just right for us. I even served it for a Sunday lunch and the males in the group were able to use a variety of hot sauces to make it more manly.

Hope your weekend is full of good food and hours of playing outside!