A return to the kitchen!

Oh kitchen, I've missed you so. You've been sorely neglected while I do other things, like school and lab work and study group. Basically, school has killed my culinary genius. I didn't do anything too impressive this week, but it felt good to eat fresh and healthy, and not need to microwave any part of my dinner. I made my own bastardized version of Egyptian Red Lentil soup, and apple wheat bread. YUM.

Egyptian Red Lentil Soup
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1-2 carrots, diced
1 cup red lentils
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups water or veggie stock
1 tbsp tumeric
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/8 tsp cumin seeds
Lemon to taste (I add a lot- 1 tbsp lemon juice)
Salt and pepper to taste
This recipe is not authentic (made up by me, based upon authentic food), and many ingredients can be switched out and changed. If you don't have wine, replace with water and saute onions and garlic in a little oil.

Put wine, onions, and garlic on medium heat. Let simmer for five minutes, add lentils, veggie stock, carrots. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, before adding herbs and tomatoes. At this point I lose track of how long I leave it on, but I feel like the whole thing is ready as soon as the carrots are soft, and it is a very fast soup to make. Add the lemon juice when you turn off the heat, right before you serve. It should add a little tang, but not make the food taste lemon-y.

Yum. I've been eating it all week, and I'm still not sick of it. Maybe I'll make more tomorrow.

Vegan Apple Wheat Bread
1 packet dry yeast

1 2/3 c warm water

1/2 c shredded apple
1/5 c molasses
1/5 c brown sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
1 1/2 c wheat flour
1/4 c rolled oats
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, cloves, allspice- basically anything that goes with apple)
1 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix water and yeast, set aside. Mix dry ingredients, add yeast/water, stirr, add molasses and apple. Stir, pour into greased loaf pan, cover with greased plastic wrap and a cloth, and allow to sit in a warm area for an hour, or until it doubles in size. Bake for 40 minutes, checking as oven temps vary. I ate mine with margarine and a sprinkle of brown sugar. I thought it was not at all bad for a made up vegan recipe, which are notoriously tricky.