And just like that, winter is back in Germany. Due to the cold temperatures that seem to be everyone’s main topic of conversation these days, I thought I’d warm you all up with a hot persian-inspired lentil soup. And just so you know, you ARE allowed to eat this soup cuddled up under a blanket on the sofa. In winter, there is nothing better than enjoying food on the sofa, am I right?Somehow, I just can’t seem to get into this new year. This is partly due to my cold that I could not seem to shake off until yesterday. My instagram feed is full of active people, getting into that January challenges mood, working out, cooking healthy and writing gratitude journals. Except for me. Nah, this isn’t me. My mind is somehow still in 2017 and my body, don’t even get me started on my body. Way behing, guys, waaaay behind.

That’s why I thought I’d use January to work on my mindset. From now on, I just want to take a moment each day to appreciate the Now and not focus on the future. Today was such a beautiful day, and I just stood at the window looking at the frost-covered roofs of the buildings around us. It was such a calm and beautiful moment. 2018 is going to be a great year. I can feel it. I’m just not quite there yet, and that’s ok.

So this lentil and kale soup is one of those feel-good recipes that you need right now. It can be wipped up in under an hour, and you can freeze it, store it and even take it to work with you. It doesn’t require a lot of fancy spices (well, except sumach), but if you don’t have it, don’t worry, it’ll still be delicious.

I love lentils in the winter, because they are extraordinarily rich in amino acids and fiber, which refill our protein storages and keep us full longer. The fresh veggies and kale add to your 5-a-day and a filled with vital nutrients. This soup fills you up on everything you need this winter, and it will definitely help you get into that New Year spirit.

Enjoy and take care,

Lynn

Enjoy!

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This is the second recipe of my Heavenly Healthy Christmas Series where I am sharing my favorite healthy holiday recipes with you. It’s based on a recipe by Terry Walters, and I simply adapted it to my taste. I already shared a traditional German side dish, spiced apple cabbage, last week, and this is a lovely and delicious savory main course, that not only vegetarians or vegans will love. I’ve served this loaf to my recipe testers a few weeks ago and they gave me the go to share it with you.
The loaf has a very interesting texture due to the lentils and the walnuts. Combined with fresh herbs such as thyme and oregano, the lentils acquire a smokey and hearty taste, that really resembles traditional meat loaf. I do not want to brag, but I think this loaf tastes even better than real meat loaf, because it is so much more flavorsome and interesting.

I admit that the preperation of this dish is a bit more time consuming than most of my other recipes on the blog, but trust me, the time and effort you put into this loaf will pay off. Most of the work consists of chopping, and if you have a good food processor than you can even let it do the work. I just personally like to grind the carrot, sellerie, apple and pear because they help the loaf stick together better. However, if you want to use a food processor instead, it will taste just as delicious. The loaf might just be a little more crumbly, but it’s nothing to worry about.

What I like about this dish is that you can prepare it the day before you want to serve it, and then just pop it into the oven for an hour before you need it to be ready. This way you don’t have to be in the kitchen all day and you can spend this valuable time with your loved ones.

Served with cranberry sauce and spiced apple cabbage, this meal is really a holiday feast that will persuade even the biggest critics that healthy doesn’t mean lack of flavor or endless salads.

INGREDIENTS

For the lentil loaf
Makes one loaf that serves 4 to 5 people
– 1 1/2 cups (300g) of green lentils
– 3 tablespoons of ground flax seeds or chia seeds
– 1 cup (125g) of walnuts
– 1 carrot (about 80g)
– 1/2 cup (100g) of celery
– 2 small or one large yellow onion (about 150g)
– 3 cloves of garlic
– 1/2 a leek (about 100g)
– 1/2 cup (60g) of buckwheat flour
– 1 slice of one or two day old rye or gluten free bread
– 2 teaspoons of fresh or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
– 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
– 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes
– 1 small apple (about 60g)
– 1/2 small pear (about 35g)
– 1/3 cup (50g) of raisins (optional)
– 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 teaspoon of salt
– 1/4 teaspoon of pepper

For the healthy cranberry sauce
– 1 cup (about 100g) of fresh cranberries
– 1/2 cup (125ml) of fresh water
– 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, honey or agave
– 2 tablespoon of fresh orange juice (optional)
– 1 teaspoon of fresh organic orange zest (optional)

METHOD

1. Cook the lentils according to instructions on the package.
2. If you have a food processor, mix the lentils for a few seconds into a course mixture, but make sure to leave some for texture. If you don’t have a food processor or strong blender, smash the lentils with a fork, also making sure to leave some lentils whole for texture.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C (325°F).
4. Finely chop the walnuts and place them onto a baking sheet and roast them for about 8-9 minutes. Do not leave them out of site, as they tend to burn quickly. Set the walnuts aside and raise the temperature to 180°C (356°C). Then cover a loaf pan with baking paper.
5. Now chop your vegetables. Roughly chop the onions and leek. Crush the garlic. Grind the carrot, celery, apple, and pear. Roughly chop the slice of rye or gluten free bread into bread crumbs.
   In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and sauté for about 4 minutes until the onions are translucent. Season them with salt and pepper. Now add the leek, celery, carrot, apple and pear and raisins (if using). Sauté everything for about 5 minutes.
6. Now stir in the processed lentils, flax or chia seeds, chopped walnuts, buckwheat flour, bread crumbs, thyme, oregano, one teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and chili flakes. Stir well until combined.
7. Press the lentil mixture firmly into the loaf pan that you have prepared. Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes until the edges turn slightly brown. While the loaf bakes, make the cranberry sauce, see below.
8. Take the loaf out of the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Slice the loaf gently; it may be kind of crumbly when it’s still very warm inside.
9. Serve with the cranberry sauce

For the Cranberry Sauce

1. Place the cranberries, water, orange juice and zest (if using) and sweetener of your choice into a small saucepan.
2. Simmer for about 15 minutes on medium heat.
3. Once the sauce has reached a thick consistency, remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
4. Serve the sauce with the lentil loaf.
   Tip: Cranberry Sauce tastes excellent in spiced apple cabbage, too.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

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Stuffed sweet potato is one of those meals that requires almost no effort to prepare. You can stuff sweet potatoes with anything you like – vegetables, legumes, avocado cream or whatever you still have in the fridge. A baked sweet potato is also much more flavorsome as a normal baked potato (although they are still a dinner healthy choice). It also contains more minerals and nutrients such as vitamin A, which is vital for healthy eye sight. Paired with delicious roasted vegetables and flavorsome cashew-chives-chutney that almost tastes like cheese, you are going to love this healthy dinner.

If you’ve read my philosophy, then you probably know that I am not vegan, nor do I eat gluten free. I eat honey, I eat curd, and from time to time and even though I do not particularly like eggs, I use them in baked goods sometimes. Whenever I can, however, I try to eat completely plant-based, forcing me to think more about what I am going to eat and how I am going to get all my nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This cashew-chives-chutney is one of those things that just happened because I did not want to eat heavy crème-fraiche with my baked sweet potato, and I also did not want to use the soy based version, because from a health standpoint I’d personally rather eat dairy than soy. So this cashew-cheese happened in my kitchen the other day, and even though it does not taste like real dairy cheese, it still tastes amazing. That’s why I call it chutney, because people are immediatley less sceptic when they hear the word chutney than vegan cheese.

The chutney has a really creamy texture, which is mainly  due to the raw cashews and coconut milk. Fresh chives give it a strong flavor that dominates most of its taste.Infused with some fresh or dried rosemary in becomes something truly heavenly. The chutney also tastes great as a dip for vegetables or just simply spread on bread. If you feel experimental today, then this is your recipe. 

Combined with the sweet potato, the wholesome beluga lentils and the fresh vegetables, this whole dish is bursting with nutrients, antioxidants and minerals that will leave you satisfied for hours, because sweet potatoes, lentils and vegetables are high in fiber. This way you’ll have energy for many hours without feeling tired or bad.

INGREDIENTS:

– 2 sweet potatoes
– 1 zucchini
– 2 carrots
– 1 cup of cherry tomatoes
– 1/2 cup beluga lentils
– 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
– fresh or dried herbs such as rosemary, thyme or oregano

For the cashew-chives-chutney
– 1 cup (110g) of cashews
– 1 handful of fresh chives
– 2 tablespoons of coconut milk (30ml)
– 2 tablespoons of water (30ml)
– juice of 1 lemon
– 1/2 tsp of salt
– 1/4 tsp of black pepper

METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400 °F. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes and pierce each one with a knife a few times.
2. Wrap them individually into tin foil, place them on a baking tray and bake for about 1 hour or more depending on the size the potatoes. They are tender when easily pierced with a knife.
3. In the meantime, cook the beluga lentils with 1 cup of water (250ml) in a small saucepan for 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
   Cook the lentils according to instructions on the package. Add a tablespoon of homemade vegetable paste to the water for taste.
4. While the potatoes make, wash the vegetables and cut them into bite sized pieces. Place them on another baking tray, drizzle them with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and bake them for about 20 minutes until tender.
5. To make the cashew-chives-chutney, roughly chop the chives. Place them in a food processor together with the other ingredients and process until a smooth paste forms. You may have to add more water if it does not process well.
6. To assemble: Serve the sweet potatoes with the cooked lentils, roasted vegetables and cashew-chives-chutney.

Enjoy!

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This Watercress, Beetroot and Avocado Salad with Beluga Lentils is such a soul food and definitely not boring at all. The combination of the healthy ingredients really melts in your mouth, literally throwing a little foodie party in there.
I have never really had watercress until this summer when I was in this amazing restaurant in North Carolina that sprinkled the most delicious vegan pad thai with a huge amount of watercress. The moment I tried it, I was instantly hooked. If you can’t pick watercress yourself, then try the farmer’s market. If they don’t sell it then they can certainly get it for you somewhere. I always ask at my favorite stand at the farmer’s market and pre-order it for the next market day. 

Watercress along with most leafy greens contains a very large amount of dietary nitrate which has been shown to lower blood pressure. It is also a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin K, which is a bone-building and strengthening vitamin, and vitamin A, which is important for eye health. Beets are a great source of iron, which helps transport oxygen via our red blood cells. Like watercress, beets are also high in nitrate, which relaxes our blood vessels and helps our blood flow more easily through the body – resulting in a decreased blood pressure. This salad is a basically a real blood pressure lowering salad if you will.
The lentils add some nice texture and protein to the whole dish, making it a complete meal that fills you up, because the fiber in the lentils will keep you satisfied for hours. It’s really the perfect satisfying autumn-y salad that I’m sure you’ll love just as much as I did.

Enjoy!

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This amazing dish may look a bit like a winter dish, but it is so amazing that you can eat it all year around. It is also a dish that takes you less than 30 minutes to make which is great. All you need is fresh spinach, pomegranate, and lentils, which I usually always have in stock. Spinach is one of my favorite greens. It’s my favorite ingredient in smoothies, salads or soups as it is extremely good for you. It is an excellent source of vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting and healthy bones. It is also packed with other key vitamins and minerals such as calcium and iron or vitamin A.
The lentils make this dish extremely filling as they are full of dietary fiber and healthy plant protein. Pomegranates are an absolute antioxidant power house because of their high vitamin C content. They strengthen our immune system and protect our body cells from harmful radicals.
As you can probably tell, health wise you can’t go wrong with this recipe, but I assure you, it tastes absolutely great, and not healthy at all. If you like you can serve it with a starchy side of brown rice to make it even richer. I assure you, that this trio will be a hit on your dinner table.

Health benefits in this spinach with lentils and pomegranate:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– iron (important for healthy red blood cells that transport oxygen through your body)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– magnesium (important to maintain bone integrity, manages blood pressure and cholesterol levels)
– vitamin A (antioxidant powerhouse, anti-aging benefits, maintenance of good eye-sight)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)

  
Ingredients:
Serves 4:
– 3 cups (500g) fresh spinach (about 6 handful)
– 2 cups (500ml) vegetable broth
– ½ cup (120g) lentils
– 1 onion
– 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
– ½ tsp salt
– ¼ tsp pepper
– the seeds of ½ pomegranate

Start by rinsing the lentils. Then pour them into a medium saucepan together with the vegetable broth and cook for about 20-25 minutes or according to the package.
While the lentils cook, remove the seeds from the pomegranate, wash and dry the spinach, and chop the onion.

Once the lentils are soft, but not mouchy, drain the water and set aside.
Now heat the olive oil in a large pan and sauté the chopped onion for about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and add the spinach. You may have to do this gradually as your pan might not be big enough to hold the entire batch batch at once. Cook the spinach on medium to high heat for about 5-10 minutes or until wilted. Reduce the heat to low, add the lentils and heat them up for another 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and garnish with the pomegranate seeds. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

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