Luv's Lentil Stew

This is a variation from a recipe found in the McDougall program.

I prefer to mix 1/2 cup of brown rice with one cup of luv's lentil stew. I like to add a dash of Hickory Smoke Flavor Bull's Eye Barbecue Sauce to my bowl before eating. Bull's Eye now sells this flavor without high fructose corn syrup.

Luv's Lentil Stew

1 yellow onion, chopped 1 carrot, scrubbed and shredded
2 stalks celery, sliced 2 cups tomato sauce(no salt added)
2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 green pepper, chopped 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce( Brags Liquid Amino)
6 cups water(distilled preferred) 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup barley 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 1/2 cups dry lentils freshly ground black pepper

Soak lentil overnight.

Saute' the onion, celery, garlic, and green pepper in a small amount of water until softened.
Add the 6 cups of water and the barley and lentils.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, stir, cover, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve immediately over rice or potatoes. Let it sit for 10 or more minutes if you are serving it
by it self.

Luv's Bubble and Squeak

Note! The original recipe for Bubble & Squeak goes back to the mid 1700's.
My niece, Suzette Sims was a historical interpreter at Jamestown during her college years and learned to make this dish in a dutch oven over an open fire.
It has not always been called Bubble and Squeak but folks in England call it just that. Pickling and drying was one of the ways to preserve food in the colony. Dried apples and currants/raisins could be soaked the night before to make this recipe. Pickled cabbage, also called sauerkraut today, was a way to have cabbage into the winter months. Apple cider vinegar supplied vitamin C when fresh fruit were not available. They might not have known it was the vitamin C doing this, but they were aware that apple cider vinegar helped scurvy.This would be a warm and nourishing dinner. Mother would wake up and make some popcorn or possibly warm some bread to break your fast, now know as breakfast. Then she would begin preparing dinner. She would fix a one pot meal in a dutch oven or kettle and slow cook it while that she and the rest of the family were doing their work. The family might take a piece of bread or a lump of bread into the field to eat to help them last until dinner. Lump is where we get the word lunch. Then about 1:00 pm everyone would return for dinner. Mother could make some quick corn cakes or bread to go with her already made dinner. After eating a big meal, they would return to work. Later, supper would consist of leftovers. That's why mom always made lots of food for dinner.

"Luv's Bubble and Squeak"

5 large potatoes scrubbed and sliced
2 onions sliced and separated
1 or 2 cans of sauerkraut(15 oz. can) I suggest using 2 cans
1 cup of raisins or currants
2 Golden Delicious apples sliced
3/4 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar(adjust for your taste)

You may make this dish in a casserole dish in your oven on 375 degrees or until the potatoes are tender.

I prefer to do it in a dutch oven in my stove.

Preheat the dutch oven for about 20 minutes. Mix together apple juice, vinegar and sugar until you get a sweet and sour taste but not too sour. Set aside.
Remove the Dutch oven from the stove and lightly grease or spray the bottom of the pan. Place the potatoes in the pot first and arrange the onions evenly on top of the potatoes. Then place the raisins or currants. The next layer is the sauerkraut and top off with the apples. Pour the apple juice mixture over the top last. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and return to the oven. It will take approximately 1 hour for the potatoes to cook.

You could cook this over an open fire or in your oven. We prefer to use a cast iron dutch oven and cook it in our electric oven. Delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Luv's Whole Wheat Rolls

The Absolutely Best Bread That Human Lips Ever Tasted

Ingredients: Two(2) packets of Red Star Quick Rise Yeast
2 1/2 cups of water(distilled water preferred)
1/4 cup of honey
5 1/2 cups of fresh ground whole wheat flour(store bought will work)
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Mix the water, honey and lemon juice together and warm in the microwave to 130 degrees.
Place 1 cup of whole wheat flour in your mixing bowl and add the two packs of yeast.
Stir the dry flour and yeast with a spoon until thoroughly mixed.
Pour in the 2 1/2 cups of water, honey and lemon and mix with a spoon.
Let this sit for 15 - 20 minutes until the yeast is activated as indicated by many
bubbles on top of the mixture.
Add one cup of flour at a time until all the flour is mixed.
Let bread knead for 8 minutes.
You may need to add a little extra flour. The dough will turn loose from the sides
of the mixing bowl when you have enough flour.
Pour some extra virgin olive oil in a saucer so you can oil your hands.
I use two aluminum baking pans size 17"x12 1/2".
I set the oven at 400 degrees and warm the pans.
I set the warm pans on top of the stove for the bread to rise.
With olive oil on my hands I remove a piece of dough and roll it into a round ball
a little larger than a golf ball and place on the baking pan.
I put twelve rolls on one pan, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise 45 minutes to
one hour. This recipe makes about 17 rolls each time.
They look pretty much like a store bought hamburger bun when baked.
I bake them for 14 minutes at 400 degrees.
I bake in an electric stove and ovens will vary somewhat.
I grind my wheat just prior to making bread.
I use a kitchen aid mixer and use the standard bread hook.
Remove from the oven to a cooling rack.
Ben says they are best when toasted very crisp in a toaster oven.
They are great for sandwiches or just plain.
Store very well in a ziploc bag on your counter for about three days.

Luv's Minestrone Soup

This soup is the best of Italian Food.

6 Cups of water(Distilled water preferred)
1 16oz. Can of Bush's Red Kidney Beans
1 8oz. Can of Hunt's Italian Tomato Sauce
1 14.5oz. Can of Delmonte Italian Tomatoes
1 Medium onion - chopped - approximately 1 cup
2 Cloves of garlic - minced
4 Sprigs of parsley - chopped
3 Stalks of celery - cut in small chunks(chopped)
2 Medium carrots - (julienned) cut in small 1 inch strips
2 Small zucchini squash - sliced -
1/2 To 1 cup of cabbage - thinly sliced in long strips
1/2 Cup of fresh spinach - whole - chopping not necessary
1/2 Cup of whole wheat shells or rotini(optional) I prefer without noodles

I use a large stainless steel pot for this soup. I add the six cups of water, garlic, onions, parsley, celery, carrots, cabbage and spinach and simmer for about ten minutes.

I rinse the beans in a colander to remove the excess salt. I cut the tomatoes into smaller chunks for easier eating and eye appeal.

I add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce and the sliced zucchini and simmer for about 30 minutes. You can add the pasta during the last ten minutes of cooking.

Luv's Vegetable Soup

This is the best vegetable soup this side of Heaven

4 Cups of water(distilled water preferred)
1 Medium chopped onion
3 Stalks of chopped celery
1 Large carrot cut in 1 inch lengths and sliced(julienned)
2 Potatoes diced
1 Or 2 cloves of minced or pressed garlic
1 Cup of salsa(I use my own homemade)
2 Small cans of tomato juice or about 12 ounces(salt free preferred)
1 Can of mixed vegetables(I use Walmart brand) or frozen is good
2 Table spoons of pearled barley
4 Sprigs of chopped parsley

Place the fresh vegetables and the 4 cups of water in a large pot and cook for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Luv's Pinto Bean Soup

6 Cups water(distilled water preferred)
1 1/2 cups of dry pinto beans
3 shakes of powdered ginger
Salt to taste or if you prefer try using just a jig of Braggs Liquid Amino(Soy Sauce) available at health food stores.

I measure out 1 1/2 cups of dry pinto beans on my kitchen counter. I carefully sort the beans and remove any small stones and broken or bad beans.

I rinse the beans in a colander and place them in a bowl with about 4 cups of water and let them soak about twelve hours. I usually soak them from 6:00pm until about 6:00am. I rinse them again in the morning and place them in a 6 quart stainless steel pressure cooker and add the 6 cups of water and the 3 shakes of powdered ginger. I place the lid on the pot and allow them to soak for another 3 to 4 hours. I cook on a ceramic smooth top stove. At about 10:30am I turn the heat on medium and let the pressure rise until the jigler begins a slow steady rock. I set the timer and allow it to cook for about 45 minutes. I turn off the heat and allow the pressure to drop and it is ready to eat.

We usually eat our beans with coleslaw and corn bread. Pinto Beans are low in calorie and very high in fiber. This recipe will give you six cups of cooked beans. They are only 60 calories per cup and have 14 grams of fiber. A perfect food for diabetics and weight loss.

Luv's Lentil Soup

1 cup lentils
2 1/2 quarts of water(distilled water is best)
2 medium onions chopped
2 stalks of celery cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 carrot cut into 1/2 inch slices
6 sprigs of parsley chopped
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 table spoon of tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
1 bay leaf
salt to taste

Soak lentils for 12 hours.
Saute vegetables in small amount of water for 10 minutes.
Add soaked lentils, tomato paste and remaining water and cook on medium heat for 45 minutes or until tender.
Remove bay leaf before serving.

Lentils are better if soaked over night! We usually soak them for 12 hours. They are more nutritious and usually have little sprouts growing on them. We use red lentils. Lentils are the oldest cultivated legume in the world. They are very nutritious and also delicious.