WEEK TWO: 4-Weeks of Wholesome Dinners

As part of our 'series' entitled 4-Weeks of Wholesome Dinners, we are posting six recipes per week...

Week Two:

Butternut Squash Baked Risotto

Roasted Eggplant & Chickpea Soup

Lentils With Egg & Greens

Simple Vegetable Curry

Escarole Gratin

Quinoa Pancakes with Turkey Breakfast Sausage

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Butternut Squash Baked Risotto ~

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, diced small

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

coarse salt and group pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 medium butternut squash (approx. 2 lbs), peeled & diced medium (4 cups)

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 bunch Kale, tough stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick strips

grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.

In medium heavy ovenproof pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until opaque, about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add wine and cook, stirring, until completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add squash and broth; bring mixture to a boil. Stir in kale.

Cover, transfer to oven, and bake until rice is tender and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan.

Serves 4.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Roasted Eggplant & Chickpea Soup ~

Ingredients

2 medium eggplant (approx 1 1/2 lbs), peel and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small yellow onion, diced medium

2 garlic cloves, unpeeled

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt and pepper

1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas rinsed, drained and patted dry

4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (or water)

Fresh oregano, if desired for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, toss together eggplant, onion, garlic cloves, 4 teaspoons of olive oil, and season with coarse salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, leaving a wide strip of empty space at one end. In bowl, toss can of chickpeas with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Transfer to empty space on roasting sheet. Roast until eggplant is golden and cooked through and chickpeas are slightly crunchy, about 35 minutes.

Set chickpeas aside. Peel garlic and add to a medium pot, along with eggplant, onion and 4-cups of broth or water. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high. With a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon, mash some eggplant until soup is thick and chunky. Stir in chickpeas and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, top with fresh oregano if desired.

Serves 4.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Lentils with Egg & Greens ~

Ingredients

olive oil

1 diced onion

2 diced carrots

3 cups cooked lentils

2 minced garlic cloves

2 large handfuls of baby spinach

handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

4 eggs

salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a skillet over medium-high, then coat with olive oil. Add diced onion and diced carrots and cook until softened. Add 3 cups of cooked lentils and season with salt and pepper. Heat through. Divide among plates.

Saute garlic. Add handfuls of baby spinach and handful of cilantro and stir to wilt. Add to plates on top of lentils.

Fry four eggs in olive oil. Serve eggs over greens & lentils.

Serves 4.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Simple Vegetable Curry ~

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 cup long-grain rice

coarse salt & pepper

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (from a 13.5-oz. can)

1 sweet potato (about 3/4 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small cauliflower, cut into florets

1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

fresh cilantro

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add mustard seeds and half the onion and cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, 3 minutes. Add rice and stir to combine. Add 1 1/2 cups water, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer; cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy pot heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Add remaining onion and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add curry paste and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Add sweet potato and cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir chickpeas into curry and increase heat to high. Simmer rapidly until liquid reduces slightly, 2 minutes. Serve over rice with cilantro.

Serves 4.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Escarole Kale Gratin ~

Ingredients

1 large head escarole -AND- 1 large bunch kale, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

2 tablespoons coconut oil (or unsalted butter)

1 medium shallot, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole wheat flour

1 cup soy milk

coarse salt and pepper

whole wheat bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook escarole and kale until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain in a colander, pressing with a spatula to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil (or butter) over medium. Cook shallot and garlic until tender, 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk and cook, whisking until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt & pepper, and stir in kale & escarole. Pour mixture into a 1-quart baking dish. Top with bread crumbs. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes.

Serves 4, although you may want to make more or serve as a side.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ Quinoa Pancakes with Turkey Breakfast Sausage ~

Ingredients (Quinoa Pancakes)

1 cup cooked quinoa

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon course salt

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or coconut oil)

1/4 cup low-fat milk (or soy milk)

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for serving

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together quinoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, egg white, butter (or coconut oil), milk, and syrup until smooth. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk to combine.

Lightly coat a skillet or griddle with butter and heat over medium-high. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on top, 2 minutes. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside, 2 minutes. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more melted butter and remaining batter (reduce heat to medium if overbrowning). Serve with maple syrup and fresh fruit, if desired.

Makes about 12.

Ingredients (Turkey Breakfast Sausage)

1/2 pound, ground turkey

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves (or 3/4 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled)

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

ground nutmeg

coarse salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together turkey, sage, thyme, maple syrup, pinch of nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Divide mixture into 4 patties (about 3 tablespoons each).

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add patties and cook until browned, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and flip patties. Cover and cook until cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Serves 4.