Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto

Activism Alert!

Tomorrow, October 2nd, I hope you will join me in a fast against animal suffrage. Pigs and cows are often starved before they are sent to slaughter and hopefully this cause will bring some awareness to horrible cruelty inflicted upon the animals who share this planet with us. If you decide to join in, be sure to hashtag #FastAgainstSlaughter

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Okay, now onto more merry festivities. Happy World Vegetarian Day! Perhaps you have an elaborate bash tonight to celebrate? This is a wonderful dish for such an occasion. When you're trying to impress your friends with your awesome vegan culinary skills, remember it's equally important to impress yourself as well.

Maybe like me, you plan to be decked out in head to toe L.L.Bean sleepwear for the celebratory-worthy occasion of watching New Girl and The Mindy Project on Hulu. Well, this meal is perfect for that too. I've got you covered, no worries.

On a side note...positively October-appropriate dish right? Black and orange for Halloween! I've never been a huge fan of Halloween, but as of five years ago, it's become a very special day indeed. It's the day Todd and I met!

“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.”

— Albert Schweitzer

Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress. 

Aren't these purple carrots gorgeous? They came in my CSA box!

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Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto

by Katie @ Produce On Parade October-1-2014

Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress. NOTES: Feel free to use green lentils in place of black or beluga. Spinach can be used in place of the carrot greens. Skinny carrots will cook faster and work better in this dish than standard, large yellow carrots.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup + 3 Tbsp. olive oil (divided)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 5 garlic cloves (divided), minced
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups beluga lentils, uncooked
• 2 bushes (about 2 lbs.) of skinny carrots with green tops
• -- Pesto --
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup walnuts
• heaping ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbsp. liquid amino acids or soy sauce
• ½ Tbsp. lemon juice
• ½ cup water

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-low. Add the onion and 2 garlic cloves and sauté for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Now, add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Cover and reduce to a simmer for about 35 minutes, or until tender. Be careful not to overcook. Preheat oven to 400 F. Chop off the carrot greens, leaving about 1 inch, and wash very well. Place the greens (discard most of the stems) in a food processer. Wash the carrots and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with a nonstick cooking spray. Lightly brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. Bake at 400 F for 30-45 minutes, until tender. Add the pesto ingredients into the food processor with the greens, 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and three garlic cloves. Process until smooth and creamy. The pesto should be a little more liquid than regular pesto, so add additional water as needed.Serve the cooked lentils with a few roasted carrots on top and dressed with the pesto.

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 6-8

Dutch Word of The Day

Happy --> Blij (blay)

Good Deed of The Day

Today, make an effort celebrate yourself. Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or just trying to reduce your animal consumption. And be sure to give an animal and planet loving friend a hug, too! Happy World Vegetarian Day!

Teriyaki Mint Soba Noodles

“My body will not be a tomb for other creatures.”

— Leonardo da Vinci

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Soon, Todd and I will be departing to the states for a wedding. This translates to a mishmash of catch-all dishes forged together with the idea of using up any food items that could potentially fall victim to neglect and rot while we're gone. I'm also on a self-inflicted store embargo, per pre-departure protocol. The days spent before a trip are always woeful, due to my particular affection for the grocery store...and food in general.

Instead of just roasting random, forgotten, lurking vegetables to make Buddha bowls, I decided to make a proper dish. There were two specific food items in our fridge that had been...somewhat forsaken. Tofu and broccoli. It's funny, I always have these two guys on hand (I like to sort of stash them away), because I use them so often that I know I'll need them for a recipe eventually. 

Alas, from time to time this can equate to limpy wimpy carrots, yellowing broccoli, and seriously questionable, rather funky-smelling tofu. Luckily, I got to them before that. Well, not the tofu. The tofu was kind of past it's prime, but I used it anyway. And the carrots had seen better days.

Hey, I'm not sick so there's that! Waste not want not, is what my Grandma always says. But honestly, don't be like me. Use legit, happy carrots, broccoli, and tofu. 

I also have an epic bounty of herbs right now. Our Alaskan summer thus far has been alternating blisteringly hot weather, with a hearty dousing of rain. My plants are loooving it. Oh yea, and take a gander at that strawberry. I've been pining to eat that little bastard for a month! Note to self: Buy more than one strawberry plant next spring. I might get four strawberries, if I'm lucky.

This is an especially fitting dish to introduce to picky vegetable haters, tofu skeptics, and boring, bland food conformers. An Asian teriyaki sauce coats sauteed broccoli and carrots, baked tofu, and soba noodles. Garden-fresh mint lends green, vibrant, earthy notes. This is an easy noodle dish that will impress and satisfy...and maybe even rescue some insipid veggies (or tofu) from your fridge!

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Teriyaki Mint Soba Noodles

by Katie @ Produce on Parade July-8-2014

Asian teriyaki sauce coats sauteed broccoli and carrots, baked tofu, and soba noodles. Garden-fresh mint lends green, vibrant, earthy notes. This is an easy dish that will impress and satisfy.

Ingredients

• 2 small broccoli heads, chopped florets only
• 7 medium carrots, julienned
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 20 oz. extra firm tofu, diced
• 1/4 cup liquid amino acids or soy sauce
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. finger ginger, minced
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar
• 1 Tbsp. corn starch
• dash crushed red pepper
• 6-9 oz soba noodles, dry
• handful fresh mint, chopped
• sprinkling sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Chop the broccoli and carrots.Heat the sesame oil in a large rimmed saucepan over medium-low. Add the broccoli and carrots. Saute about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the tofu dry and dice. Scatter evenly on a baking sheet and roast at 400 F for 30 minutes. Whisk together the remaining ingredients except for the mint and sesame seeds. Pour over the vegetables and continue to saute for about 5 minutes. Then cover, reduce to low and cook for about 10 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Remove from heat. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Add the soba noodles and boil for 4 minutes. Then strain and stir into the vegetables. When the tofu is done, stir into the vegetables along with the fresh mint. Serve hot, topped with additional fresh mint and sesame seeds.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 6

German Word of The Day

Mint --> Minze (mins-eh)

Good Deed of The Day

From The Simpsons

Did you read this New York Times article about the depression and anxiety of zoo animals? "Scientists often say that we don't know what animals feel because they can't speak to us...But the thing is, they are reporting their inner states. We're just not listening."

 I've always hated zoos. Please don't support zoos. 

Veggie Miso Udon Soup

Confession time...I've been perusing the rescue shelter website again. I know, I know. Don't judge! I'm trying to talk Todd into getting an older, smaller dog. He's seven years old and his name is Oreo and he's been there since July 31st! So sad. Plus, Bailey needs a friend. Cross your fingers that he'll come home with us soon! I have a feeling that soon after this post goes up, I'll be in trouble...heh heh.  Anyways, besides stalking the rescue site, I've been craving some udon soup. Big time. There's this place in the mall in Anchorage (yes, we only have one mall...okay that's a lie, but it is the mall) called Souper Bowl and they have the most wonderful udon soup and sometimes, a few times a year, I get a crazy-cracked-out-craving for it! So, I decided it was finally time to try to recreate it. I think I did a damn good job, too.

This soup could not be easier, and it's "udon" healthy...udon...uber...get it? Oh nevermind. It's packed with steamed veggies, cubed silken tofu and a healthy dose of miso. Udon noodles are my favorite noodle. I don't really know what it is exactly about them  but I just love 'em! I could not wait to make this soup and once it was done, I couldn't stop eating it! It was an extra exciting day in addition to this soup, because Todd got me a surprise gift! See the bottom of the post to see what!

Veggie Miso Udon Soup 

Inspired by Souper Bowl and No Whey No Cow

Serves 6-8

• --For The Broth--
• 1o cups water
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. erythritol (or sugar)
• 2 Tbsp. ginger paste (or finely minced ginger)
• 1 Tbsp. onion powder
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 4 green onions, sliced thinly
• 1 sheet of Nori seaweed, chopped
• 1/2 cup miso paste (I prefer red)
• --Goodies--
• 1 head of broccoli florets, chopped
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 2 8 oz. packages of udon noodles (sauce packet tossed, eww)
• 1 12 oz. package silken tofu, cubed
• 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach

First, steam the chopped broccoli and carrots so they are just tender. Once done, set aside for use later. 

In a large soup pot, bring the water along with all the broth ingredients, excluding the miso paste, to a boil. Once boiling, turn to a simmer and once it stops boiling, add in the miso paste. Whisk well to incorporate. 

Now, add in the udon noodles and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, or until they have separated. Add in the cubed tofu and stir gently to combine. 

Serve in a giant normal-person, reasonable-sized soup bowl and add in the spinach, steamed broccoli, and carrots. Allow a few minutes for the spinach to wilt and then eat up!

Holy closeup! Helllllo spinach.

How did I get those macro photos? With a macro lens of course! Todd bought me one and Lightroom, as well! Hurray! We He has a 20mm wide angle as well as a 50mm 1.4.

Oh, it's Oreo! Look at him, he really needs some love! He must have put this on the blog...what a clever little guy.

On repeat, Wild Child – Someone Else

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