Indian Lentils with Spinach and Eggplant

Ingredients:

•1 medium onion, medium diced
•1 eggplant, cubed
•1 cup sliced mushrooms
•1.5 cups whole mushrooms
•3 cloves garlic
•1.5 cups lentils
•3 cups vegetable broth
•2 tsp cinnamon
•2 tsp turmeric
•2 tsp curry
•2 tsp ginger
•1 tsp garam masala
•1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (less if you don’t want it too spicy!)
•1 bay leaf
•3 cups fresh spinach
•1 cup brown or white rice (optional)

To Prepare: Start by browning your onions in a large Dutch oven (or other heavy bottomed pan) over medium high heat. Then add the eggplant and mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring often. I really liked use of both whole and sliced mushrooms in this recipe. The whole mushrooms gave a great texture contrast in the final product!

Add the spices and stir to coat, letting the spices get toasty on the dry heat for about a minute or so.

Time for the star of the show – LENTILS! I used light green, but you could use the dark green or black lentils too. Just make sure to adjust your liquid accordingly. (Orange or red lentils would probably be too mushy for this!)

Give the lentils a quick stir, making sure to get them completely tossed in with the vegetables and spices.

Now add your broth. Approximate here. You’re going to want about 3ish cups, but really just eyeball it to have just enough to cover the top of the veggies and lentils. Don’t go too far over the top or you will have too much liquid in the final product.

Throw in a bay leaf for good measure.

Bring the liquid up to a simmer and then turn down the heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 30-35 minutes. The longer the better. Unlike rice, you don’t need to be afraid to open the top and check on lentils.

While you’re waiting, you can go ahead and make your rice.

Okay finally – the last step! Once the lentils are softened to your liking and your kitchen smells amazing, grab some fresh spinach and stir it in. It will seem like a TON of spinach, but it will wilt down into nothingness and you will see why we used so much. Stir it in really well, making sure it is all nice and wilted – should only take a minute or two.

From The Front Burner (http://www.thefrontburnerblog.com/2010/03/recipe-indian-lentils-with-spinach-eggplant.html)

Summer Squash and Portobello Mushroom Vegetarian Lasagna

Serves at least 8

•6 medium crookneck or other summer squash or zucchini, sliced lengthwise, 1/8" thick
•6 large portobello mushroom caps, sliced 1/8" thick on a bias
•extra virgin olive oil for sauteeing
•1 lb. ricotta
•2 eggs
•1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
•1 onion, diced
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•2 large (28 oz.) cans plain tomato sauce
•zest from 1 lemon
•1.5 pounds no-boil lasagna noodles (or regular lasagna noodles, par-boiled)
•salt, pepper to taste
•1 lb. grated mozzarella
•4 oz. grated parmesan cheese

1.In a large skillet over high, fry the squash and portobello mushrooms in olive oil. Fry each in a single layer, using as many batches as needed. Flip and cook both sides until well browned. Remove to paper towels and season with salt.

2.Season the ricotta along with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, then beat in the eggs.

3.Saute the onion & garlic in a good amount of olive oil, add the tomato sauce and lemon zest, simmer 5 minutes, salt to taste

4.Oil an 11" x 13" pan (at least 2" deep). Build up layers of noodles, sauce, squash and mushrooms, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Be sure to get the noodles quite wet if they are the no-boil type and need plenty of moisture. You'll have about 4 layers total. I do sauce on every layer, but ricotta on some and mozzarella on others. Do what you feel.

5.Finish with a heavy layer of mozzarella and the parm, mixed together.

6.Bake at 375 F., covering with tin foil part of the time if needed to avoid overbrowning. It is done when internal temp is say 170 F. (check a few spots) or when you can easily pierce the noodles with a fork, and the sauce is bubbling around the sides. Don't overcook and let the noodles get soggy.

7.If the cheese isn't crispy and brown enough, finish judiciously with the broiler.

8.Allow to rest at least 15 minutes before serving so it has time to set up a bit.

From Herbivoracious (http://herbivoracious.com/)