Slow-Cooker Chickpea-Lentil Stew with Rice

Here is a simple meal to make.  A little bit of prep then your slow cooker does the rest...8-10 hours later it is finished.  It has a great spicy sweet taste to it.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp grapeseed oil

1 medium yellow onion - chopped

3 medium chile peppers - chopped

4 cloves garlic - chopped

2 tsp garam masala

2-15oz garbanzo beans - drained and rinsed (or you can use dried beans, just be sure to soak them overnight)

1/2 cup dried lentils

1-28oz can diced tomatoes

2 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup pitted black olives (we didn't have any olives in the pantry this week...bummer)

1/2 cup coconut milk

Directions:

*Heat oil

*Saute onions about 8 minutes until tender

*add peppers, garlic, spice.  Cook until soften, about 2-3 more minutes

*add everything to the slow cooker (EXCEPT the coconut milk)

*Cook on low for 8-10 hours

*Add Coconut milk 15 minutes before serving

*Serve over Rice (we used long grain brown rice)

Enjoy!

10 on 10

I found this idea on another blog:...thought it sounded like fun, and would give it a try.

Here are 10 things happening around here on the 10th of June:

My basil is finally starting to grow

The new hummingbird feeder I put up today...can't wait to see the birds

Honey from a local beekeeper (if you want to buy some, go to:  http://www.alwayssummerherbs.com/)

Tomatoes ripening on the counter...from the farmers market

Riley relaxing after a hard day of play

Yummy Air-popped Popcorn

Ethan after making mud soup

The oh-so delicious mud soup the kids made for me

Bandz that now cover the house

Spencer showing off all of his teeth

Hope you had a great 10th of June!

As the Wiggles say....

Fruit Salad....

Yummy Yummy!!

My wonderful hubby made this fruit salad for us...complete with:

strawberries, red grapes, blueberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, and kiwi.

Make sure you are getting a variety of fruits each day...they are packed full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Gazpacho Salad

I got this recipe from a friend...well actually her blog (http://www.4littlemenandgirlytwins.com/).  She has inspired me to cook more organically, and become more green in our lives.

The gazpacho salad is quite amazing, and even more so with fresh home grown tomatoes. 

Chop and combine:

3 large tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 green bell pepper

1/2 onion

1 handful cilantro

1 jalapeno (remove ribs and seeds)

Whisk together:

3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

salt

pepper

juice from 1 lime

1 garlic clove, minced

toss all together to combine...

Enjoy!

Pea-Cilantro-Rice

So I needed a change to my rice...I have tried brown rice, white rice, wild rice, rice pilaf....etc.  I found this recipe in Martha Stewart Living (I love this magazine...there are always so many great recipes...I will probably share them all).  Just smelling the cilantro makes me think of summer...add in some peas and you are set.  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (save the stems)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, mined

1/4 tsp chili powder

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup long-grain rice

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

Directions:

tie together reserved cilantro stems with kitchen twine (I didn't have the twine, so I used on of the stems to tie it together)

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat

Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes

Add chili powder and season with salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute

Add rice, stir to coat

Add cilantro-stem bundle and water.

Bring to a boil

Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, until water is absorbed...about 15 minutes

Remove from heat, add peas (do not mix)

Cover and let stand for 10 minutes

Remove cilantro-stem bundle

Stir in cilantro leaves

Serve warm

Mango-Radish-Cucumber Salad

Flipping though my Martha Stewart Living magazine I found this different, but awesome sounding salad.  Vibrant in color and flavor, this salad is a must have for the summer.  Make sure your mangoes are ripe (you can speed up ripening time by putting it in a paper bag at room temperature)

Ingredients:

1 mango, peeled and sliced

1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

8 radishes, quartered

1 tbsp finely grated lime zest

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp honey

coarse salt

directions:

whisk together lime zest, juice, oil and honey.  Season with salt.

combine mangoes, cucumbers and radishes in bowl

drizzle dressing over the salad

serve cold