Recipe: Sprouted Lentil Quinoa Salad :: MMM (Must Make Monday)

I have been a collector of recipes for as long as I can remember but I never manage to find enough time to try all the recipes I collect and that was the reason my MMM (Must-Make-Monday) series was born. The idea is to force myself to choose at least one recipe from my Must-Make-List each week. I will post the results on my blog. Solid idea, or so I thought, but with my recipe collection growing faster than the speed of light, I could use a month of Mondays and still not get to half of the recipes in my collection(s). That’s the other thing, since I started this blog, my collection has become plural. It started with the Must-Make-Page on my site but I also have a Must-Make Board on Pinterest.

My MMM (Must-Make-Monday) series, is good in that it forces me to follow through and use recipes from my collection(s). After using a recipe, I check it off and add it to Made-This (TAB). You can view archive postings from my MMM (Must-Make-Monday) series, by clicking here.

To start things off this week, here are a few recipes, that I’ve come across recently. I’ve categorized  them but they are listed in no particular order. These are recipes that I would love to try but haven’t gotten around to yet. They are to become the newest additions to my Must-Make-List.

Important *** I have not tagged these recipe links as Gluten, Grain, Sugar, Dairy, Egg or Nut Free, nor have I labelled them as Vegan or Vegetarian. Please review and confirm the recipe meets your dietary requirements before you begin.

Sweet:

• Vegan Gluten Free Pumpkin Mousse Squares Healthful Pursuit. These look like little squares of pumpkin pie. I bet they would be wonderful topped with a dollop of whipped coconut milk.
• Honeyed Lime and Coconut Panna Cotta by Beyond The Peel. I’ve never had Panna Cotta. Wasn’t even sure what it was until I watched France make some on an episode of their TV Tuesday.
• Chocolate Chip Butterfinger Cookies by Real Sustenance. These might be the most delicious looking cookies I have ever seen!
• Paleo Toffee Caramels by Tessa The Domestic Diva. Toffee Caramels! Need I say more?
• Easy No Peel Creamy Applesauce by Tessa The Domestic Diva. Such an easy no fuss way to make homemade apple sauce!
• Lemon Poppyseed Power Balls by Daily Bites. Oh poor little recipe that never made it into the cookbook…lucky for me tho, I love all the ingredients. I will be making these soon!
• Ginger Molasses Cookies by Real Sustenance. I think molasses cookies are perfect for cooler weather. Love the idea of using cashew flour to make them grain free.

Breakfast:

• Hazelnut Pumpkin Spice Muffins by The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen. I hope to do more baking with pumpkin this year. This recipe for grain free muffins seems like a good starting point.
• Almond Chai Breakfast Clusters by Daily Bites. OMG! I love Chai spices and nuts and seeds…umm the only thing to decide is, do I go with raisins or currants? One thing for sure, I will be making these ASAP!

Beverage:

• Apple Immunity Cocktail by Daily Bites. It “packs a ton of immune boosting power!” and I bet it tastes good too

Salad:

• Apple Super Salad In A Jar by Daily Bites. Easy, fun and I bet it is as delicious as it looks.

Savoury:

• Bruschetta Quinoa by Veggie Nook. Fresh locally grown tomatoes in a Bruschetta, on top of Quinoa? Simply brilliant!
• Artichoke Lasagne by Premeditated Leftovers. It seems like forever since I’ve had lasagne.
• Eggplant Parmesan, Gluten Free by gluten free girl and the chef. Would you believe I’ve never made Eggplant Parmesan? Plan to give it a go with the fresh eggplant I have in the fridge. BTW, I love this post…it’s almost as if Shauna could read my mind…..
• Skinny Hot Spinach Dip by Jeanette’s Healthy Living. A healthy Spinach Dip? You can count me in

Miscellaneous:

• Homemade Cream Cheese by All Day I Dream About Food. Seems easy enough. I make my yogurt, why not take it a step further and try my hand at making cream cheese?
• Ask The Chef: How To Peel Garlic Easily by gluten free girl and the chef
• 30 Blogs With Gluten Free Recipes For Kids by Full Time Nanny.
• Natural Remedies Kits For Home & Travel by Kelly, The Spunky Coconut on the Balanced Platter.
• Gluten Free Fast Food & Restaurants | North American Chains by The Celiac Scene. Planning a trip in North America? This guide should come in handy when looking for a quick gluten free bite to eat while you’re on the road.
• Gluten Free Food Gifts by Gluten Free Homemaker. Later this Fall, Linda will be doing a series of posts that highlight ideas for gluten-free food gifts. If you have some food gift ideas you would like to share, both bloggers and non-bloggers are welcome, click on the above link for details.

To see archived recipe links from my Must-Make-Lists, click here

To see a text listing of my gluten free recipes, click here

For dairy, egg, nut and gluten free flour substitutions, click here

When it is dark enough, you can see the stars ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here’s what I’ve been up to lately…

Have you ever felt like your world is upside down or you’re running on a steep tilt? Do you get a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach as the roller-coaster creeps ever so slowly up to the peak, as you brace for the plummet over the other side? That’s how I’ve felt for the past few months. What with my oldest son having been seriously ill in August and the challenges my ageing parents have faced. In fact, my mom is still in the hospital. She’s been there for a few weeks.

Talk about drawing on reserve energy, about finding I have more strength than seems possible. I’ve held it together, when all I want to do is curl up and cry like a baby. Oh dear God, please guide me through these tough times.

I’m in the interior helping my parents as they cope with this latest challenge. I’m blessed to be able to stay here at my parent’s place but I sure am homesick for my husband, kids, grandson, cats and my kitchen.

Mom’s health is slowly improving. Thankfully, she is getting a bit stronger each day. We’re hopeful she will be well enough to leave the hospital next week.

This kitchen is not my own but I still have to eat and I’ve always found cooking and baking is great for relieving stress.

This recipe for Raw Buckwheat Porridge by Simone’s Edible Adventures, intrigued me. I like buckwheat but had never tried it “raw”. Simone’s post also includes some valuable information about the highs and lows of blood sugar and diabetes.

I soaked some buckwheat groats over night. In the morning, strained and rinsed it. Blended 1/3 of the soaked groats with 1/3 cup almond milk, a splash of vanilla, sprinkle of cinnamon and because I didn’t have any real maple syrup, I used a couple of chopped Medjool dates. Once processed until it was nice and smooth, I poured it over the remaining 1/2 cup soaked groats and topped it off with some chopped banana.

I’ve never eaten “raw” grains before. Loved the taste but didn’t really care for the gritty texture it left in my mouth. I split the serving in half and cooked one half, poured milk over it, added half a sliced banana and my mouth was very happy with the creamy porridge like finish.

I am wondering about adding soaked raw buckwheat to smoothies. Have you ever tried that?

This recipe for Swiss Chard and Mushroom Squares by Kalyn’s Kitchen, is one that I knew I would love. It is a lot like my Crustless Quinoa Veggie Pie. I really love Swiss Chard and I love mushrooms, so this was a no brainer for me I subbed in some cooked quinoa for hemp hearts, but otherwise followed Kalyn’s recipe as written.

For this next recipe, you will need to sprout green lentils for a couple of days before making the salad. If you’ve never sprouted legumes before, no worries, it is super simple with no special equipment required.

You start the sprouting process by placing dried green lentils (note: red lentils cannot be subbed for green) in a bowl. Add a generous amount of water to completely cover the lentils, with about an inch or two of extra water. Cover container with a lid, or plastic wrap. Soak the beans for about 8 hours drain, rinse place in a mason jar, or glass bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and leave at room temperature in a dark place. Rinse green lentils at least twice a day, or about every 6-8 hours for 1-2 days. You can eat sprouted green lentils raw or cooked.

Leanne of Healthful Pursuit has a good tutorial on How To Sprout. Another great resource for sprouting, is Sprout People. Note: It’s important to do your research before making and eating raw sprouts as some types of sprouts need to be cooked.

I steamed the sprouted lentils for about 5 minutes and allowed to cool before using in this powerhouse salad. I love the fresh crisp taste of sprouted green lentils. I’m trying to think of other ways to serve them. Please leave a comment if you would like to share your ideas on how else to use them.

Why take Folic Acid?Scientific research has shown that if women take 0.4 mg of Folic Acid 3-4 months prior to and during pregnancy, the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida is reduced by up to 75%. Please consult your physician to determine what is the right amount of Folic Acid for you.

 

This post is linked to the following events:

Make Your Own! Mondays hosted by Lea at Nourishing Treasures

Fat Tuesday hosted by Jill at Real Food Forager

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays hosted by Amy at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free

Traditional Tuesdays hosted by Melanie at Pickle Me Too

Hearth and Soul Hop hosted by April at21st Century Housewife

Gluten Free Wednesdays hosted by Linda at Gluten-Free Homemaker

Allergy Free Wednesdays hosted by Amber at The Tasty Alternative

Recipe Box hosted by Chaya at Bizzy Bakes

Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly at Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Healthy 2Day Wednesdays hosted by Anne at Authentic Simplicity

Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

This Is Real Thursday hosted by France at Beyond The Peel

Pennywise Platter Thursday hosted by Kimi at The Nourishing Gourmet

Whole Food Fridays hosted by Megan at Allergy Free Alaska

Wellness Weekends hosted by Ricki from Diet, Desserts and Dogs

Healthy Vegan Friday hosted by Gabby at Veggie Nook

Foodie Fridayhosted by Diane at Simple Living with Diane Balch

Potluck Party {Fall Harvest} hosted by Ella at Lifeologia

Gluten Free Fridayshosted by Cindy (and others) at Vegetarian Mamma

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