Brussels, Lentils, Rice and Dip!

Pan-seared Brussels

This is our favorite brussels recipe. It's so simple that it's a cinch to add as a side to any meal.

• wash the brussels
• slice off any remaining stem
• slice in half length-wise
• add evoo to a pan over medium heat
• add brussels flat-side-down when the oil is hot
• cover the pan and let sear. check back frequently to prevent burning
• remove from heat, sprinkle with salt, and serve!

The searing adds amazing flavor. This may already be well-known in the brussel-enthusiast world, but I discovered it by accidentally burning some.

Lentil and Rice Pilaf

With this recipe we tried to emulate a lentil-rice pilaf from the legendary, local Neomonde Cafe. It's still missing something, but we came pretty close and learned a bit about preparing the dish. It's simply boiled lentils, boiled rice, baked onions, salt, cumin, and evoo.

Spicy Spinach-Artichoke Dip

We had a half-can of artichokes and a half-bag of frozen spinach, not to mention a hankering for some good ol' spinach-artie dip. We tried to find the recipe we used last time (and LOVED), but weren't successful, so we made up our own!

thaw the spinach (we did it in the microwave) and squeeze out the excess water

arrange the spinach and chopped artichoke hearts in an oven-safe dish

brown a clove of minced garlic in evoo

whisk 1 T of cornstarch into 1/4 C soy milk

add another 3/4 cup of soy milk to the cornstarch mixture

add the soymilk/cornstarch to the garlic pan while whisking

let the mixture bubble and thicken; then add about 1/4 cup of nooch and whisk again

add, to taste, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and good quality hot sauce (Tabasco is not the best option here) and whisk to combine.

when satisfied with the taste and thickness, pour the sauce over the veggies and combine

bake, uncovered, at 400 for about 12-15 minutes

enjoy with pita, chips, crackers, or veggie sticks!