What's Cooking? Quinoa, Carrot and Lentil Stew

What is cooking in my kitchen this week?
Well, it has been a banner week as far as I am concerned; we have not eaten hummus all week.  Here's the deal:  Martha Stewart would run shrieking from our home and lifestyle.  I am a very fun wife, but haven't yet learned to be a productive housewife.  When John and I got married I really did not do the whole 'wife' thing; meaning I didn't cook very often, and was a rotten house keeper.  We both had other priorities: climbing and camping every weekend, training at the rock climbing gym two nights a week, creating in the pottery studio two nights a week... oh and I had two jobs.  John and I did all of this together, and dinner was whatever we could scavenge.  That was a typical week.
Anyway, part of my journey now is trying to learn how to run a household... and still train at the gym and find an outlet for my creative needs. 

Now it is also super important that we have healthy good food for our son. Although hummus is healthy, I just wouldn't feel right about feeding it to him twice a week for dinner.


But, this week was a banner week for cooking!  I made something delicious!


From "Quinoa 365  The Everyday Superfood", by Patricia Green & Carolyn Hemming





Quinoa, Carrot and Lentil Stew
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 cup diced red onion
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 cup diced red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro


Combine the quinoa, lentils, stock and water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the carrots, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the red pepper and cook for 5 more minutes.
Add the cilantro and adjust the seasoning.  Serve immediately.


I have made this soup several times and it has always turned out great. Cilantro has been out of season in my garden since I started making this soup, so I have never used it.  Today was the first time I found organic red peppers in the market, and this batch was the first that I used the red pepper.  What I am trying to say is that this is a very forgiving recipe! Fast, easy and forgiving!  And great for this chilly winter.


"Quinoa 365" is a great cookbook.  I have made this soup, a moist chocolate cake (wheat free), chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chocolate chip cookies.  All were fabulous, and all use Quinoa (of course).


Enjoy!

Six of Me

If there were six of me... would it be enough?
Let's imagine...

1 - This 'me' would be the Wife and Partner.  I would get to give my wonderful husband the attention he deserves.
2 - The Mom.  Technically there could be two of these "me's" - but let's not be greedy.
3 - The House Wife 'me'.  A semi-clean home, dinners prepared (hummus twice a week does not count), and the yard looking good would be killer.  No, I am not talking house beautiful or Martha; but it would be great to find my clothes when I need them, be able to walk through a room without kicking toys, have a few options for healthy dinners, and not look out into my yard and feel overwhelmed.
4 - This 'me' is the Badass Rock Climber.  My core still needs work (a baby and emergency c-section will wreck your core, in case you didn't know that), actually everything needs work who am I kidding.  I could hit the climbing gym when I want, go out for sessions on our wall, and skip out to the beach boulders... whenever the mood strikes.  Start sending V4 and 5.12.... sigh.
5 - Artist 'me'.  With all of the projects rolling around in my head... there could be two or three of these 'me's'... but again, we won't be greedy.
6 - The 'me' that would actually take care of me.

Yeah, I think six would be enough, at least to start.