Baked Lentils

This barbecue-flavored side dish has sweet and savory elements all wrapped into one!

Baked Lentils
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked French lentils
• 12 oz pkg bacon, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground mustard
• 3/4 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Prepare lentils according to package directions; set aside.
3. Cook diced bacon in large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes. Drain excess grease, leaving a little behind to cook veggies. Add pepper and onion. Reduce heat to medium and cook 10 minutes, until veggies are translucent and tender. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Remove Dutch oven from heat.
4. Stir in lentils, tomato paste, maple syrup, coconut sugar, water, vinegar, and spices. Mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 30 minutes.
6. Allow dish to cool 15 minutes, then serve warm.

Recipe adapted from "Baked Beans" found on page 128 in Danielle Walker's Against All Grain Celebrations cookbook.

Zucchini Pizza

One of the hardest parts of eating gluten free is having to give up the good old standby: pizza. But let me back up for a minute. Remember how I mentioned in a previous post that my in-laws grow such a bountiful garden in Minnesota? Well, zucchini is another vegetable that they always have in abundant supply and luckily they are willing to share! So when I was talking to my friend, Steph, at playgroup one day about ways to cook with the zucchini, she shared this recipe with me. (I can only bake so many loaves of zucchini bread!) At the time, I was not eating gluten free. (Maybe it was foreshadowing?!) Fast forward to now, this dish satisfies my pizza craving!

Here's a look at the crust after the first round in the oven. I'm pretty sure I could just cut it up into slices and eat it as is! As a matter of fact, this could actually be a great appetizer recipe to bake in mini muffin cups for bite-sized portions that are perfect for hungry guests around the holidays.

A nice cross-section of the dish shows the zucchini crust from earlier on the bottom, the meat, onion and tomato sauce mixture in the middle, and a thick gooey layer of melted cheese on the top (my favorite!).

(Note: I didn't have a green pepper on hand, as called for in the recipe, when I made this for dinner, but it greatly adds to the dish flavor-wise, so I will make sure to pick one up the next time I make it.)

And last, but not least, the food on the plate! I'll admit that it's not too pretty to look at (we just scooped it out of the pan with a large serving spoon), but it is oh-so-delicious to eat (I promise!).

Zucchini Pizza
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
4 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (about 2 small)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 tsp oregano
green pepper, chopped (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Squeeze excess moisture from zucchini using paper towel. (May need to do this a couple times.)
3. Combine zucchini with eggs, parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Press into greased 9x13 pan. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook beef and onion. Add tomato sauce and oregano. Spoon over cooked zucchini layer. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with chopped green pepper, if using.
5. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Chili Con Carne

Cooler weather outside means it's time to warm up with some hot chili inside!

Chili Con Carne
Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup water
3 beef bouillon cubes (I use Herb Ox brand)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 (16 oz) cans diced tomatoes with liquid
1 (15.5 oz) can kidney beans, undrained

Directions
1. Brown ground beef in large skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When no longer pink, spoon meat into slow cooker and reserve drippings.
2. In skillet drippings, sauté garlic, onions, and green peppers over low heat until onions are tender. Spoon veggies into slow cooker.
3. Add rest of ingredients to slow cooker. Stir together until well mixed.
4. Cover. Cook on low 2+ hours.
5. Stir well to combine before serving.

Serving Suggestion:
* Top individual servings with shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, sliced green onions, sliced black olives, etc.
* Scoop with tortilla chips.

Recipe adapted from "Chili Con Carne Supreme" found on page 53 of Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook: 600 Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes by Phyllis Pellman Good.