Recipe Review from 10/22/2018

There was a week off between my last recipe review post and this one.  I was away at a work conference for three days and the Husband covered the handful of meals for the week.  Slow cooked chili with fire roasted tomatoes and stuffed pork chops from a local meat store covered the end of the week.

As of this posting, we are still without an oven.

The Meal Plan for the week of 10/22:
Sat (L)  leftovers   (S)  out
Sun (L) Brussel sprouts with quinoa bowl  (S) Tuscan Soup
Mon (yoga/bkgrp/Legion mtgs)  out
Tues - leftover soup
Wed - leftover Brussel sprouts
Thurs - leftover soup
Fri - off

Lunches - chili (me)  sandwiches (the Husband)

Brussel Sprouts and Quinoa Bowl with citrus vinaigrette (Ckng Lght, Oct 2018) gluten free, vegetarian

I really enjoyed this one.  It's simple, so it comes together very quickly.  It's tasty - I loved the nutty quinoa with the citrus dressing and the creamy goat cheese.  And it's versatile - don't have Brussels sprouts?  Sub asparagus!  Don't have radicchio?  Sub red cabbage (which is exactly what I did).   This would be a great make-ahead lunch dish.  Keep the dressing separate and add just before eating.

Recommended!

Serves 4

photo from cookinglight.com

1 cup uncooked tricolor quinoa
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 cups chopped radicchio (from 1 head)  (I used red cabbage)
1 cup chopped Golden Delicious apple  (I used a River Belle)
1 1/2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/3 cup)

Cook quinoa in water according to package directions. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Set aside.

Whisk together orange juice, vinegar, 1 tablespoon oil, honey, mustard, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add Brussels sprouts; cook, stirring often, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Place 1/2 cup quinoa in each of 4 bowls. Top each with 1/2 cup radicchio, 1/4 cup apple, and 2/3 cup Brussels sprouts. Drizzle each with 2 tablespoons orange-thyme vinaigrette; sprinkle evenly with goat cheese.

Slow Cooked Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup (Ckng Lght Nov, 2018)  gluten free, vegetarian
This was easy enough to pull together, it's hands off cooking for 6-8 hours, add the greens and let cook while setting the table, and serve. 

However, I found this to be overly bland, a bit muddy (I suspect from the lentils), and (my fault) the spinach became unappealing upon reheating.   I subbed spinach because the Husband wanted some greens for his sandwiches for the week and raw chard isn't the best.   So not my favorite slow cooked soup recipe. 

Recommended with some reservations.

Serves about 6
4 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth

photo from cookinglight.com

2 (15-oz.) cans unsalted Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup uncooked brown or green lentils, rinsed

1 cup water (increase to 2 cups for Instant Pot)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup chopped carrot
1 (2-inch) Parmesan cheese rind
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bay leaf
4 cups coarsely chopped rainbow chard  (I used spinach)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Combine broth, beans, lentils, 1 cup water, onion, carrot, Parmesan rind, garlic, thyme, pepper, salt, and bay leaf in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until lentils are tender, 7 to 8 hours.

Stir in chard and lemon juice. Cover and cook on low until chard is wilted, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard cheese rind and bay leaf.

Divide soup evenly among 6 bowls. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.