Cheap, yummy and healthy

Here's a simple dish you can put together for just a few bucks. Be sure to take a gander at the rather impressive nutrition information I'm posting after the recipe!


Cauliflower Lentil Curry with Tomato-Cilantro Chutney
Makes 8 servings

1 1/2 cups lentils
3 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds cauliflower florets, chopped into bite size and smaller pieces
2 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP coriander
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry powder
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cups chopped cilantro

Rinse and drain lentils. Boil vegetable broth in a medium pan, then add lentils. Return to boil, cover, turn down heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, saute the onion in the olive oil until tender and beginning to brown, then add spices and stir until fragrant, 1 minute or so. Add cauliflower and cook for a minute or two, then add a splash of water and cover to let steam until cauliflower is tender, not more than 3 minutes or so. Remove from heat, stir in lentils. In a small bowl stir together tomatoes and cilantro. Serve lentils with a small dallop of tomato-cilantro chutney.

200 calories per serving, 80% of your vitamin C RDA, 60% fiber RDA, 20% iron RDA, 10% vitamin A RDA, 4 grams of fat (all unsaturated) and 13 grams of protein

Broken Arm Bread

This bread owes it's name to the event that led to its inception. My daughter broke her arm falling off the monkey bars, and being confined to the house nursing her I had time to come up with new recipes. As always, simple is best. I used the herbs I had on hand in my garden, and I imagine this bread would be good with any number of herb combinations.

Broken Arm Bread

2 cups luke warm water
1 TBSP active dry yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
fresh herbs by the handful - I used a generous handful each of basil, rosemary, dill, parsley and sage, but use what you have on hand. Pulse in a food processor or mince by hand.
12-20 pitted kalamata olives (depending on how olive-y you want the bread to taste), chopped
4 TBSP wheat gluten (optional)
4-5 cups whole wheat flour

Dissolve yeast in water in a large bowl. Whisk in salt, olive oil, herbs, olives and gluten. Add 3 cups of flour and stir with a spoon until a wet dough forms. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour on kneading surface and turn dough out of bowl onto floured surface. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour on top of dough and knead until flour is absorbed. Add more flour if/as needed until dough stops sticking to kneading surface. Your total flour should be somewhere between 4 and 5 cups. Place dough ball in oiled bowl and cover with a cloth. Place in a warm spot and let rise for about an hour, until it's doubled in size and doesn't spring back when indented. Punch down and knead a few times, then form into a round loaf and place on a baking stone or inverted cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Place in oven and allow to rise another hour or so, then turn oven on to 375 and bake for 1 hour. Serve with butter or olive oil for dipping, or use for savory sandwiches!