Lentil soup, pressure cooker

 This soup is adaptable and easy to make in an electric pressure cooker. Use the recipe as a guideline: If you don’t have a certain spice listed, simply omit or substitute with spices you have. You can also switch up the vegetables.

I made this soup for a friend who was recovering from surgery because it's packed with spices and vegetables, both of which contain antioxidants that protect the body from damage and phytochemicals that have important functions in the body and may protect against cancer.

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup orange lentils (or other dry type)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

6 or more cloves of garlic, chopped or grated

2 cups carrots, sliced

1 cup celery, sliced

1 cup cooked beans (navy, garbanzo, or kidney)

1 cup tomatoes, diced

6 cups water or vegetable broth

1 small potato, diced

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon garam masala (Indian spice blend)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons cumin

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 bay leaves (optional)

Pepper, to taste (optional)

Kosher salt, to taste (optional)

1 lemon, freshly squeezed

Directions

Rinse the lentils well under cold tap water and drain.

In your electric pressure cooker, heat the olive oil using the sauté setting. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Add the carrots and celery and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the rinsed lentils, beans, tomatoes, water or vegetable broth, potato, turmeric, garam masala, cinnamon, cumin, and balsamic vinegar along with the bay leaves, pepper, and salt (if desired). Close the lid, turn the valve to “sealing,” select the “manual” button, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.

When the pressure cooker completes its natural pressure release, it is ready to eat! Give it a taste test and adjust the spices if desired.

Serve warm with freshly squeezed lemon to taste.

Lentil soup with sweet potatoes and kale

 Lentils have been a year-round staple in my pantry for many years. Different from other pulses (the dried seeds of legumes), lentils cook fairly quickly and require no overnight soaking, which makes them ideal for busy weeknight meals. Their versatility allows them to be used in salads during the warmer months and in hearty casseroles and soups in the winter. In addition, their nutritional value sets them apart as a great plant-based protein alternative — high in fiber, folate, thiamin, and iron.

After cooking lentils for many years, I have found that the best way to prevent them from getting mushy or drying out is to bring them to a rapid simmer and then reduce the heat to low for the rest of the cooking. Not convinced yet? What about adding your favorite ingredients and seasonings? Lentils have been enjoyed in several cuisines around the world for centuries, so now it is time to make this nutritious pulse your own.

Servings: 8 to 10

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/2 cups brown lentils

7 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 large tomato, diced

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups chopped fresh kale

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

In a large pot, heat the oil. 

Add the onion and garlic. Sauté until onion is tender and garlic is light brown in color. Add carrot, celery and sweet potatoes. Cook until vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Stir in the lentils, vegetable broth and water. Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme and stir.  Cook on medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes or until lentils are cooked. 

Add the fresh kale. Season with salt and pepper (if needed) and stir. 

Remove bay leaves and serve warm.

* 1/2 to a teaspoon turmeric for additional taste and health benefits

* we love to use cumin...it is also good for health....just a little not to much.....garlic, onion

Red lentil soup with spinach

 Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin

Large pinch chili powder or cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 cup red lentils

2 medium carrots, chopped (If they are washed well, I don't bother to peel them)

2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves

Lemon juice to taste

Directions

In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil to shimmering. 

Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 4 minutes. 

Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, chili, salt, pepper and cook a minute or two. 

Add the broth, water, lentils, and carrots. Turn down heat and bring to a simmer.

Gently simmer partially covered about 30 minutes until the lentils are tender.  

Use an immersion blender just enough to leave the soup chunky, or use a blender to puree about half of the soup, then add it back to the pot. If using a blender, remember to take the center piece out of the blender lid and cover with a folded kitchen towel to let the steam escape.  

Stir in the spinach.  

Add lemon juice to taste.

** I made this soup in a pressure cooker, 5 minutes cooking once the cooker was pressurized.

Some adjustment was made as I didn't have tomato paste, instead used 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes - pureed. Coconut oil was used in place of the olive oil. Leftover chicken was added as well.

The outcome was DELICIOUS!! And very filling.

BIG HIT!

Meatballs and spaghetti by 李靚蕾 @jl.leilei

 肉丸吃起來一模一樣的🍝🍴

《素肉丸番茄義大利麵》

食譜來啦 

(今天的食譜是使用純植物肉碎的食譜，下次再分享用新鮮食材製作的方法)💗

▪️材料：460 g 純植物肉碎，1/2杯 大豆起士絲，1/2 杯 麵包粉（或1片無蛋奶白土司撕成小塊），1-2 匙 豆漿，1/2杯 香菜，1顆 甜洋蔥，3匙 橄欖油（或松露油），2 個 大蒜，8顆 牛番茄，小番茄（適量），1個 新鮮玉米，1個 胡蘿蔔，蘑菇（適量），花椰菜（適量），純淨水，1盒 義大利麵，烤盤烘培紙，（依個人喜好決定是否加番茄醬/鹽/胡椒調味） 

▪️作法：
1. 預熱烤箱約220度左右，在烤盤上鋪烘培紙
2. 大鍋加入純淨水煮義大利麵
3. 蔬菜洗淨，削皮切塊（甜洋蔥一半切塊，一半切碎），牛番茄切碎製作番茄醬汁，大蒜切片
4. 麵包粉加入豆漿拌勻
5. 加入純植物肉碎、起士絲、香菜、碎洋蔥用手抓勻，揉成肉球放入烤盤，烤約15～20分鐘，直到表面整體上色。
6. 炒鍋加入橄欖油預熱，加入蒜頭爆香，加入蔬菜，炒熟
7. 加入番茄醬汁和肉丸，加入約半杯純淨水，煮好的義大利麵，撒上切碎的香菜

Borscht soup 羅宋湯

 營養好吃的羅宋湯🤗🥕🥦🥣

備料：番茄（6顆），馬鈴薯（2顆），洋蔥（1顆）, 胡蘿蔔（1顆），牛肋條（2斤），純淨水（約1800ml）, 橄欖油（少許），玉米（1條），番茄醬（依個人喜好決定是否加入：約110ml)，花椰菜（少許） ▪️食譜：

1. 番茄洗淨用刀子划十字，滾水煮10分鐘，沖冷水，剝皮切丁
2. 洋蔥洗淨削皮切丁，胡蘿蔔/馬鈴薯切塊（切大塊一點才不會融化在湯裡）
3. 放入橄欖油＋洋蔥/胡蘿蔔炒香
4. 牛肋條切塊，用大火川燙五分鐘撈起去血水
5. 煮湯鍋放入約1800ml純淨水，放入牛肋條＋洋蔥＋胡蘿蔔＋番茄大火煮10分鐘，轉小火熬煮30分鐘
6. 加入馬鈴薯（也可依個人喜好加入花椰菜+玉米+番茄醬等其他配料）轉中火10分鐘，轉小火熬煮15分鐘，確認牛肋條煮爛後關火

Chicken soup with pears

陪伴我們家一整個流感季節的［水梨紅棗雞湯］全天然無添加，寶寶也可以喝的療癒養生食譜來了😛👩🏻‍🍳🥣

 ▪️材料：全雞（1隻），水梨 asian pear（1顆），紅棗/枸杞/香菇/山藥/玉米粒（適量）

▪️作法：
1. 全雞洗淨放入冷水鍋，水滾後中火川燙5分鐘
2. 紅棗/枸杞/香菇/玉米洗淨泡水10分鐘
3. 香菇/山藥切塊
4. 水梨去皮切塊
5. 將全雞撈出，放入煮鍋，加入純淨水至8分滿，大火熬煮，水滾後調整中火後熬煮20分鐘
6. 加入紅棗/枸杞/香菇/玉米/水梨15分鐘後，加入山藥10分鐘後調整小火熬煮30分鐘

Lemongrass chicken skewers

 lemongrass chicken skewers over a charcoal fire

ADDED RECIPE:

Cut chicken thighs into thick chunks. I like it in thicker chunks.

Marinade chicken overnight with: 

Lots of lemongrass

2tbs Soy paste

2tbs oyster sauce

2tbs fish sauce

2tbs sugar 

grated ginger

grated garlic

spring onions chopped (save white parts to put on skewers)

Bit of oil

Bun Bo Hue - Nuocmama Food Instagram

Bún bò huế /Vietnamese spicy beef noodle with fall off the bone beef rib, fatty beef brisket and rare steak. Spicy level mild to medium. Swipe left to see video of how the rare steak are being cooked.

Cold weather is for steaming hot and spicy soup.

Recipe: full video recipe on my highlight under “bun Bo hue”

Preparing seasoning

• 1 pk- 2oz bun bo hue season (any brand)

• 1/4 cup cooking oil

• 2 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1/4 cup sliced shallots

• 3 tablespoon minced lemongrass

In a sauce pan add cooking oil, chopped lemongrass, garlic, shallots and bun bo hue seasoning package. Fry until fragrant and set aside.

Broth:

•1.5 gallon water

•4-5 lbs beef back ribs (parboiled)

•2 lbs beef brisket ( cut into 1/2 lbs pieces and parboiled )

•rare steak(thinly sliced)

•3 tablespoon Quoc Viet bun bo hue soup base by @quocvietfoodsusa. (optional, you can use 1 tbs of shrimp paste)

•2 tablespoon fish sauce( 3 crabs brand)

•1 teaspoon of msg ( optional))

•3 oz rock sugar (optional, 2 tablespoon white sugar)

•8-10 pieces of lemon grass( cut into 3 inches, lightly smash)

•2 tablespoon salt (more if needed)

1•In a big pot of water add parboiled beef ribs, brisket, salt, sugar, msg and lemongrass stick. Bring back to a boil. Removed all the foam and scums on top.

2•Add already made bun bo hue mixture and Quocviet seasoning or shrimp paste.

3•Bring to a boil then back down to low for simmering.

4•Cover and let simmer for 1 hrs. Removed the brisket.

5•Add more water if needed.

6•Continue to simmer for another hours or until beef ribs are tender to your liking.

8•Add fish sauce. Taste and adjust.

Thinly sliced brisket for topping. I don’t like to cook the brisket too long, because I like the crunchy texture. Add rare steak. Hot broth with help cook the rare steak when served. The color looks spicy, but it’s not that spicy. Enjo

Chef Ramsay’s roasted chicken with chickpeas

 3-4lbs whole chicken, 1 can garbanzo beans, 2 red peppers, 1/2 pack of thyme (fresh herbs), 1/2 pack tarragon, 2 small lemon or one large, 3 bulbs garlic, olive oil, butter, salt and pepper

Dress up the beans sauce…

1:1:1 Dijon mustard, aged balsamic, runny honey, and olive oil to ur liking.

Prepped this during my lunch break working from home and put it altogether right after.. oven did all the work

Braised salmon belly in clay pot

2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp water

Make caramel sauce with sugar and water.

Then add below for sauce.

1-2 tbsp oil

2-3 tbsp chopped green onions

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tsp black pepper

2-3 tbsp chopped shallots

2 tbsp fish sauce

Add salmon belly

1/2 tsp of chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp of seasoning mix (1 tbsp salt + 2 tbsp sugar mixed together) **

Cover & simmer for 7-10 min

recipe: caramel, vegetable oil, green onions, garlic, shallots, black pepper, fish sauce, salmon belly, red chili, fried garlic. Season to taste with seasoning mix/fish sauce].

**Seasoning mix: 1:2 ratio of salt & sugar. Can premake and put in a jar. Instagram: occomestibles