Kusherie (Lentils and Rice dish) Wednesday, Sep 21 2011 

Main Dishes and Recipes and Vegetarian , , , , , AnneJisca 7:30 am

A very tasty vegetarian meal. I love the combination of rice and lentils! Thanks to my sister Milca for sharing her recipe!

 

Rice and Lentils

(Serves 6-8)

1 1/4 cup lentils
1 1/2 cups rice*
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
dash pepper

Heat in a heavy saucepan 2 Tbsp oil, add lentils, brown over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add 3 cups boiling water or stock, salt, and pepper. Cook uncovered 10 minutes over medium heat. Stir in rice and 1 cup boiling water or stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and cook 25 minutes.

* This recipe uses white rice. We used brown rice and simply cooked it longer once we added the rice to the lentils.

 

Tomato Sauce

3/4 cup tomato paste
3 cups tomato juice, puree, OR sauce
1 green pepper, chopped
chopped celery leaves
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne peppers, or crushed chilis
3 onions sliced*
4 cloves garlic, minced

In a saucepan, heat together all ingredients except onions and garlic. Bring sauce to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20-30 minutes. Heat a little bit of oil in a small skillet. Saute onions and garlic over medium heat until browned.

*I only used one onion, and added the garlic to the sauce. It’s versatile!

TO SERVE: Put rice and lentil mixture on platter, pour tomato sauce over, and top with onions and garlic.

 

Ground Beef, Rice and Beans Wednesday, Aug 3 2011 

Beef and Main Dishes and Recipes and Vegetarian , , , , AnneJisca 7:44 am

I grew up regularly eating an easy lunch of ground beef and rice (and onions). It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s yummy, it’s filling, and it’s healthy. 😉  We eat it with soya sauce over it. Now, when I make it for my little family, I’ll play around with it, adding black beans (as in the above picture), some mixed veggies, or seasoned rice (also pictured above).

I don’t have an exact recipe for you for this one. How much rice does your family usually eat as a side dish? Make a bit more since that will be the staple of this meal. Try some brown rice too, for extra nutrients! If you’ve tried brown rice before and didn’t like it, don’t despair! Just as there are many types of white rice, there are several types of brown rice. Some I love, some not so much. I always prefer the ones that take the full 45 minutes to cook, not parboiled which cooks faster.

While your rice is cooking, cook your ground beef and onions. I almost always have cooked ground beef in the freezer, which makes this a very quick meal as I just need to thaw out the ground beef.

If you’re adding mixed veggies, cook those too. (or use last night’s leftovers!!)

Then, using a big bowl, mix the rice, ground beef, mixed veggies, rice and whatever else you want! Serve with soya sauce and you’ve got an easy, yummy, and cheap meal!

Variation: Make this a vegetarian dish by omitting the ground beef and adding soy protein, beans, and/or pieces of fried tofu!

 

Spinach Rice Casserole Tuesday, May 31 2011 

Main Dishes and Recipes and Vegetarian , , , AnneJisca 8:55 am

This spinach rice casserole is a delicious meal! It’s like a quiche, but “overloaded” with spinach. It can be made in a pie crust, or simply baked in a casserole dish. Either way, none of it ever goes to waste around here! It’s healthy, super easy to make, and a great way to use leftover rice.

 

 

Looks tasty? Wanna try it? The recipe is right over here. 🙂