Thursday, July 7, 2011

They say I'm awesome

I received the best compliment a cook can get today.  I was talking to my friend Brandy about the baby shower I'll be throwing her in a couple months. She said she was already planning on eating a lot since the food is so great every time she comes over. Really, that is about the most flattering thing anyone could say to a cook. She's already feeling her stomach stretch in preparation. Then again, that could be the baby....

Regardless, it is a super nice thing to hear, since I certainly enjoy cooking and I think the food I make generally turns out pretty well.  And I admit that sometimes I have my doubts about my ability since it seems like my husband prefers Taco Bell to Cuisine d'Ali.


So enough bragging about me and let's get to the food, shall we?  Today's recipe is another one adapted from the Martha Stewart empire - this time from the Whole Living website.  I've been trying to decrease the amount of meat we eat in our household since we are working on improving our health (and hopefully shedding some pounds).  Whole Living has a regular blog featuring a meatless recipe every Monday.  I didn't have to go too far back to find an interesting one that uses rhubarb in a savory application, which I haven't really seen before.  It turned out really great! 

Lentil Rhubarb Soup
adapted from WholeLiving.com

1 c red or brown lentils, cleaned & rinsed
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tsp turmeric
5 cardamom pods
1 star anise
2 tsp cayenne
1 large onion
2 tbsp tamari or other soy sauce
5 cloves garlic
3 tbsp minced ginger
7 stalks rhubarb, chopped
5 c water


Melt the oil in a dutch oven or other heavy pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the dried spices and stir constantly until they smell fragrant. Add the onion and soy sauce and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for a minute before adding the remainder of the ingredients.  Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Some possible garnishes include fresh cilantro, the cilantro oil she uses in the original blog post, or any other bright flavor you like, whether it be an infused basil oil, flavored vinegar, or ???

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