brown rice and lentils

This is a staple of vegetarian diets, and I love it. The easiest way
to do it is to bring the lentils and rice to a boil, then let it set
overnight. It will swell a little and be partially cooked. This
reduces cooking time by about half. I cook my rice and lentils in a
microwave and cook until they are tender, stirring a few times which
takes about 10 min. I like the mixture so that most of the water gets
absorbed or boils off and the liquid turns brown from the lentils
mostly. Then I add a little sugar-free syrup to the top. They make a
very inexpensive, low sodium, high fiber, high protein (for vegetables
high protein at any rate), low-fat and low calorie staple. Brown rice
has 150 cal per 1/4 cup dry, and the lentils are 80 cal per 1/4 cup
dry according to my package, although I have seen the same 1/4 cup
serving listed as 150 cal. I'm not sure why the discrepancy since
lentils look pretty much alike.

Garbanzo beans are another favorite of vegetarians because of their
protein and slightly higher fat content along with high fiber. They
are fine, but require longer cooking times similar to most other dried
beans. Since the cooking time is so long...about 1.5 hours even after
an over-night soak, you have to plan a little more to make these. I
like to add some to the top of my salads or other dishes. dkw

" of http://groups.google.com wrote:

This is a staple of vegetarian diets, and I love it. The easiest way
to do it is to bring the lentils and rice to a boil, then let it set
overnight. It will swell a little and be partially cooked. This
reduces cooking time by about half. I cook my rice and lentils in a
microwave and cook until they are tender, stirring a few times which
takes about 10 min. I like the mixture so that most of the water gets
absorbed or boils off and the liquid turns brown from the lentils
mostly

If you like that, then here's one of my favourite dishes for you to try.
This is really a khichiri, an Indian lentil and rice dish, not a kedgeree
smoked fish and rice dish.

Red Lentil & Avocado Kedgeree

8oz red split lentils
8oz basmati rice
1oz butter or margarine
1 bunch spring onions (scallions)
1 tsp ground cumin
1.5 pints veg stock
2 bay leaves
1 stick cinnamon
4 cloves
Salt & pepper
1 avocado
2 tbsps fresh coriander
juice of 1 lemon

Rinse the rice and lentils. Place in a bowl and cover with lots of cold
water. Soak for 15 minutes, then drain.

Chop the spring onions. Fry them for 3 minutes in the butter or margarine.
Add the bay leaves, cumin, cinnamon stick, cloves, salt and pepper. Stir
the rice and lentil mixture into the onion and spices and cook for 1 minute,
then add the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes (tends to
stick so use microwave). Should be light, dry and fluffy.

Halve and peel the avocado; dice the flesh into small cubes. Toss in lemon
juice and add to the lentil mixture. (Fresh lemon juice is worth the effort
in this recipe.) Cook very briefly, just to warm up the avocado. Remove the
whole spices, stir in the coriander and serve.

Serves 4

Asparagus variation:
Take 1 bunch of asparagus, chop into bite size pieces. Steam the asparagus,
then add to the cooked lentil mixture instead of the avocado.

Verdict was OK, and I shall have the asparagus version again while dieting,
but the avocado version is considerably better.

Garbanzo beans are another favorite of vegetarians because of their
protein and slightly higher fat content along with high fiber. They
are fine, but require longer cooking times similar to most other dried
beans. Since the cooking time is so long...about 1.5 hours even after
an over-night soak, you have to plan a little more to make these. I
like to add some to the top of my salads or other dishes. dkw
Can you only get dried garbanzo beans and not tinned? Here tinned work out
about twice as expensive as dried, but that's a price I find well worth
paying for the convenience of open tin, use contents immediately.
Here's a good recipe using chick peas (=garbanzo beans)

Chilli Spiced Cabbage

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 red chillies
1 inch piece ginger root
1 clove garlic
1 red pepper
8oz button mushrooms
12oz cabbage
4 oz chick peas (cooked weight)
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Halve the mushrooms and cook in a small amount of water for 2 minutes. Chop
the spinach, add to the pan and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Chop the chillies. Peel and grate the ginger. Crush the garlic. Add to
pan with the chick peas and cook for 5 minutes.

Finely slice the red pepper. Add to pan with lemon juice and soy sauce.

Toast the sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. Sprinkle over before serving.

Serves 2

Dieters need to not have the seeds and eat less than half of this.
--
Those who are mentally and emotionally healthy are those who have learned
when to say yes, when to say no and when to say whoopee. W.S. Krabill
Steph Peters delete invalid from lid
Tatting, lace & stitching page http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/index.htm

On Jan 7, 4:25*pm, Steph Peters
wrote:
" ofhttp://groups.google.comwrote:

This is a staple of vegetarian diets, and I love it. The easiest way
to do it is to bring the lentils and rice to a boil, then let it set
overnight. It will swell a little and be partially cooked. This
reduces cooking time by about half. I cook my rice and lentils in a
microwave and cook until they are tender, stirring a few times which
takes about 10 min. I like the mixture so that most of the water gets
absorbed or boils off and the liquid turns brown from the lentils
mostly

If you like that, then here's one of my favourite dishes for you to try. *
This is really a khichiri, an Indian lentil and rice dish, not a kedgeree
smoked fish and rice dish.

Red Lentil & Avocado Kedgeree

8oz red split lentils *
8oz basmati rice
1oz butter or margarine
1 bunch spring onions (scallions)
1 tsp ground cumin * * *
1.5 pints veg stock
2 bay leaves * *
1 stick cinnamon
4 cloves * * * *
Salt & pepper
1 avocado * * *
2 tbsps fresh coriander
juice of 1 lemon * * * *

Rinse the rice and lentils. *Place in a bowl and cover with lots of cold
water. *Soak for 15 minutes, then drain.

Chop the spring onions. *Fry them for 3 minutes in the butter or margarine.
Add the bay leaves, cumin, cinnamon stick, cloves, salt and pepper. *Stir
the rice and lentil mixture into the onion and spices and cook for 1 minute,
then add the stock. *Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes (tends to
stick so use microwave). *Should be light, dry and fluffy.

Halve and peel the avocado; dice the flesh into small cubes. *Toss in lemon
juice and add to the lentil mixture. *(Fresh lemon juice is worth the effort
in this recipe.) Cook very briefly, just to warm up the avocado. *Remove the
whole spices, stir in the coriander and serve.

Serves 4

Asparagus variation:
Take 1 bunch of asparagus, chop into bite size pieces. *Steam the asparagus,
then add to the cooked lentil mixture instead of the avocado.

Verdict was OK, and I shall have the asparagus version again while dieting,
but the avocado version is considerably better.

Garbanzo beans are another favorite of vegetarians because of their
protein and slightly higher fat content along with high fiber. They
are fine, but require longer cooking times similar to most other dried
beans. Since the cooking time is so long...about 1.5 hours even after
an over-night soak, you have to plan a little more to make these. I
like to add some to the top of my salads or other dishes. dkw

Can you only get dried garbanzo beans and not tinned? *Here tinned work out
about twice as expensive as dried, but that's a price I find well worth
paying for the convenience of open tin, use contents immediately.
Here's a good recipe using chick peas (=garbanzo beans)

Chilli Spiced Cabbage

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 red chillies *
1 inch piece ginger root
1 clove garlic *
1 red pepper * *
8oz button mushrooms
12oz cabbage
4 oz chick peas (cooked weight)
1 tbsp sesame seeds * *
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Halve the mushrooms and cook in a small amount of water for 2 minutes. *Chop
the spinach, add to the pan and cook for a further 3 minutes. *

Chop the chillies. *Peel and grate the ginger. *Crush the garlic. *Add to
pan with the chick peas and cook for 5 minutes.

*Finely slice the red pepper. * *Add to pan with lemon juice and soy sauce.

Toast the sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. *Sprinkle over before serving.

Serves 2

Dieters need to not have the seeds and eat less than half of this.
--
Those who are mentally and emotionally healthy are those who have learned
when to say yes, when to say no and when to say whoopee. W.S. Krabill
Steph Peters delete invalid from
Tatting, lace & stitching page http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/index.htm

Sounds great. I have made versions of these recipes. I love the
strong curry and jalapenos especially. I use horseradish, cinnamon,
onions, garlic, jalapnos and ginger as well. A while back I tried a
plain habanero pepper and that ended my pepper craze for a time
though. I get into routines (ruts?) with my cooking (basically
microwaving) and eating. Right now it seems to be steel cut oats,
brown rice and lentils, a few raw, plain vegetables esp. cabbage,
carrots, celery, broccoli, and some cranberries and blueberries added
to my oatmeal. I do buy the Fiber One original and use that plus the
puffed whole wheat and fat-free milk for breakfast. Adding the
meringes (aka marshmallow/schaumtorte) thing I concoct completely
describes my entire menu for the past few weeks, with diet soda, chai
tea thrown in for a buzz. Right now I have brown rice and lentils
heating up in the slow cooker, and my oats preboiled and soaking for
lunch. I am drawn to basic, simple, uncomplicated food. dkw

" of http://groups.google.com wrote:
Sounds great. I have made versions of these recipes. I love the
strong curry and jalapenos especially. I use horseradish, cinnamon,
onions, garlic, jalapnos and ginger as well. A while back I tried a
plain habanero pepper and that ended my pepper craze for a time
though. I get into routines (ruts?) with my cooking (basically
microwaving) and eating. Right now it seems to be steel cut oats,
brown rice and lentils, a few raw, plain vegetables esp. cabbage,
carrots, celery, broccoli, and some cranberries and blueberries added
to my oatmeal. I do buy the Fiber One original and use that plus the
puffed whole wheat and fat-free milk for breakfast. Adding the
meringes (aka marshmallow/schaumtorte) thing I concoct completely
describes my entire menu for the past few weeks, with diet soda, chai
tea thrown in for a buzz. Right now I have brown rice and lentils
heating up in the slow cooker, and my oats preboiled and soaking for
lunch. I am drawn to basic, simple, uncomplicated food. dkw

Sounds like we are almost opposites in taste. I love cooking, and your
oatmeal with fruits and plain vegetables would be a nightmare for me. I
have simple things for breakfast, a big bowl of fruit, crispbread, bran
flakes, yogurt and so on but not oatmeal because I don't like it. Lunch,
eaten at work, is a big bowl of salad - but fancy salad. This week I made
Red Hot Coleslaw - red cabbage, red onion and grated turnip with spicy
chilli dressing. I have something else with the salad for protein, like
beans or (vegetarian) sushi, and I snack on more fruit during the day.
Dinner involves cooking. I've worked up low fat versions of dishes like
mushroom stroganov, Thai curry with tofu, stir-fried vegetables with black
pepper sauce; also vegetable soups with home made bread rolls are a
favourite. I eat much smaller portions than I used to, and avoid all the
little extras that add to the calorie count like parmesan cheese on pasta
dishes, adding nut or seed toppings, seeds in bread rolls and butter on
them. I love to cook, and doing it in a more healthy way is a good
challenge.

Steph
238/158/119