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Here is another vegetarian dish. This could be almost a one pot meal. All you need is some brown rice or quinoa.. well, those are the healthy options. One could also serve this with a rice pulao with lots of cumin and sautéed onions. Either way, this is a delicious dish that is very simple to make and very nutritious.

I love combining the orange and the yellow variety- the names of the lentils are below (actually I am not very good at remembering lentil names .. so I recognize them by color and shape). Anyway, I love combining the two and cooking them with a bit of garlic. I usually cook the lentils in water, but they can be made with chicken or vegetable broth.

Once the lentils are tender and cooked, I added baby spinach to the mix. I finished the dish with a tempering of cumin and mustard seeds.

It is one of my staples, especially when I don’t have a lot of time to cook…
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Dish number four is a super healthy one. Quinoa is a great way to incorporate a healthy starch. I haven’t used it a whole lot but thought making it risotto style should be quite delicious. I saw someone making it on food tv and thought it was a great idea.

I started with some yummy extra virgin olive oil, shallots and garlic. I sautéed them for a bit and added the quinoa and some white wine. Unlike Arborio rice, this grain takes just ten to twelve minutes to cook. It also takes less liquid. In order to keep with the vegetarian theme, one can add vegetable or even mushroom stock.

I then added fresh baby spinach, some half and half and grated cheese. The dish can be eaten on its own and served with some roasted vegetables or some delicious lentils or beans.

It was a delicious dish- I couldn’t tell I was eating any thing other than risotto.. This is a great way to incorporate quinoa into your kids diets…
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My weakness- are potatoes. I love then in potato chips and fries! I try to stay away from them but when I do indulge, I try to make them in a healthy way. I love make oven fries at home with very little oil. I stick with non-caloric flavors like smoked paprika, garlic powder or herbs.

Sweet potatoes are delicious and super healthy. I love making oven fries with sweet potatoes. I love the sweet flavor with the savory and smoky garlic and smoked paprika- talk about amazing bold flavors… I don’t miss the super unhealthy french fries at all…
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I made this dish with the citrus chicken. I love making broccoli and sometimes run out of ways of reinventing the vegetable. I sautéed up some sliced garlic to start with. I then added the broccoli. I added some delicious white wine, orange juice and zest.

This dish has incredible flavor thanks to the garlic, wine and orange zest. It is simple to make and it complements the citrus chicken beautifully.

Make this side dish next time you are confused about how to make your broccoli!
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I have now made a few polenta dishes where I have added a bunch of different ingredients to make them a bit different. I realized that polenta is like any other starch and I can go crazy with all the different aromatics or vegetables I can add to it.

In this case I was making the short ribs and wanted to keep it simple and serve it on top of polenta. Both my husband and I love polenta. My daughter on the other hand, is not a big fan. In fact the last time I made it, she asked not to give it to her ever again. I am okay with her not wanting to eat polenta- she is such a good eater and everyone has a few things they don’t like- although I can’t think of a thing I would have on that list.

Anyway, I started with shallots and garlic and added baby spinach. I then added chicken broth and milk. The polenta was made in no time. I topped it with some cheese and that was it. I made it simple for myself by adding baby spinach to the starch- I didn’t have to make a salad or a vegetable on the side.

The polenta was delicious with the short ribs- creamy and earthy with the rich meat.
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