I been feeling more creative in the kitchen lately, which probably has something to do with the weeks of -20C and colder temperatures.  People have shown an interest in my creations on Facebook, so I thought I’d share them here as well.

One thing I almost always prioritize is taking a couple of hours on Sunday to make my lunches for the week. It’s not that I have endless amounts of spare time; it is two hours I’m not spending on something else I want to do. However, I prioritize nourishing myself with delicious and healthy food, because it helps me feel better overall (I used to fight nodding off every afternoon, and felt generally sluggish). I suspect I make up those two hours in added productivity throughout the week.

Another positive trade-off is that I don’t have to think about what I’m going to have for lunch at all during the week. I take it all in on Monday and that’s the last I have to think of it. There’s no early morning scrambling to find something to take for lunch, and I like it that way.

This week’s lunches are packed with protein (lentils and quinoa), and kale.  I made a quinoa pilaf, and coconut curried lentil soup. (Note that both recipes are gluten-free, if a gluten-free bouillon/broth is used.)

Kale, roasted squash and quinoa pilaf

Ingredients

– about two cups of cooked quinoa (in some veggie bullion)

– one small butternut squash, cubed and oven roasted with garlic, oil, sea salt

– two cups of shredded kale

– 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds

– half an onion, finely diced

– garlic

– garlic powder

– pepper

– oil for sauteeing

 

What to do

Roast squash in a glass dish, coated with oil, salt and garlic, and while that’s happening cook your quinoa (probably about 3/4 cup uncooked).

In a frying pan sautee onions and garlic. Add kale, pumpkin seeds and other spices.

Then throw in the quinoa and squash once it’s done. Mix up and you’re done.

 

Coconut Curry Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients

– 1/2 red onion, finely chopped

– 1 tsp (heaping) coconut oil

– minced ginger, garlic, & chili mix (i use jarred ginger/garlic, and a frozen hot pepper cube)

– 1 cup uncooked red lentils, rinsed

– 3 cups boiling water with veggie bullion cube (or straight up veggie broth)

– 1 tbsp spice mix – garam masala, chili powder, etc

– 1 can coconut milk (I often use lite)

– Two cups of kale, shredded

 

What to do

Melt oil in soup pot on low to med heat. Add onion and let soften. Once onion is soft, add minced ginger, garlic and chili mix and stir, mixing the flavours.

Add one cup of lentils, along with spice mix of your choice. Mix it all together before adding 1 can of coconut milk. Stir and then add your veggie broth. Bring it all to a gentle boil then lower the heat, cover, and let simmer for 25 minutes or so until the lentils are soft and amazeballs. Add kale towards the end, to let it wilt.