Sunday, April 15, 2007

uh, where's the FOOD?

I know, I know. It's been post after post without food photos for you guys. I'm sorry. Well, there were a few other things to announce and talk about, including the dvd.

Before I get to the food, a quick note to Canadians interested in ordering the Everyday Dish dvd. You can do so. The online form is not currently accepting Cdn addresses. Just send an e-mail that you'd like to order and it will be done!

Also, our favorite vegan momma has posted a review of Everyday Dish. Check it out! And Herbivore is hosting a launch party for the dvd. Wish I could be there, and oh how I wish I could dine in Portland again. You guys go for me and have some fun, ok?!

Alrighty, on to a quick food bite before I get back to my manuscript. This is a lentil recipe that I created as a side dish for Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. But I love it so much it's shown up on our plate as a main dish with rice many times since.


It is Savory French (Puy) Lentils, and I've served them here with short-grain brown rice, a salad of baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, finely sliced fennel (try fennel guys!), and green onions tossed with Lemon Zinger Vinaigrette from Vive. Also some Lemon Broiled Green Beans from ED&BV (ultra simple).

French lentils retain their shape a little more than green (brown) lentils, and far more than red lentils which pretty much dissolve. They have a naturally earthy flavor, and so I cook them in a broth of sorts to accentuate that earthiness. The savory flavor paired with the lemony beans and salad is just delicious. This is the kind of meal that tastes great to eat, and feels great after you eat it. You know, just so darn wholesome your body knows it!

"Lentils they do a body good"..... yeah, doubt it will have the same marketing impact.

I'll be back with more soon. Pls keeping clicking. And check out Jen's review. Oh, forgot to mention... remember this pasta that our girl Leslie tested out? It's one of my recipes on the dvd.

I still have that giveaway coming up that I mentioned a few posts back. Stay tuned, stay vegan!

15 comments:

Everyday Superhero said...

Hey, That dish looks so good. By the way, I recently made the Adzuki & Rice Patties (sorry if I got the name wrong) and the Cannelini Bean & Yam Hummus (oh my! very good).

laura k said...

With all the excitement of the DVD and everything else you've got going on... no hard feelings for the lack of food postings! ;) Though these lentils look fabulous.

Speaking of lentils, I made your tomato-lentil pasta sauce AND your pumpkin seed-coated lentil patties this week. Let me just say that you know how to cook a mean lentil!

jenny said...

The lentil looks really good - the pasta looks great as well!

Anonymous said...

I received the new DVD yesterday and watched it all in one sitting (even though I should have been finishing my taxes!) Really wonderful! I'm so excited to try the sundried tomato pesto! It looks really delicioso!
Great Job, Dreena!
Aimee

mama herbivore said...

we wish you could be here, dreena! i do hope to meet you someday soon. your "performance" on the DVD is great. i love it!
thanks so much for your great food,
michelle

Teresa said...

No apologies necessary! (Although I do notice myself selfishly missing the frequent food posts). I've been buying those french lentils in bulk at my co-op and I've used them in your Earthy Lentil Soup (the most amazing cooking smell ever!). I like them because they seem to be very hearty. Oh and I'm so excited to try the sun-dried tomato pesto- I actually just bought some sun-dried tomatoes yesterday. It must be a sign. Congrats on the DVD and good luck with the rest of the cookbook stuff!

-Teresa

erica said...

When I first opened the page I thought it was lentils and mashed potatos, which happens to be one of my favorite comfort foods (like a super simple shepherd's pie). Still, that looks mighty tasty.

Dreena said...

Hey Vixen! Thanks!! I'm stoked you liked both those recipes - I love those two as well. The hummus is always surprising for people because of the sweet/smoky/nutty combo. I'm actually looking forward to cooking up some of my 'older' recipes again - as well as playing with some other cookbooks. :)

Hiya Laura, that's nice to hear, knowing that my blog visitors are hangin' in there through my 'down time'! I'm delighted you liked those lentil dishes... I do luv my lentils!

Thanks Jenny.

Aimee, you're a doll. Thank you for that feedback, and also again for supporting us. I don't think I watched it all in one sitting! I hope the recipes come in handy for you now for weekly meals. Now, get back to your taxes!

Hey Michelle! Thanks for that, the dvd spots were fun to do! It would be cool to meet you too, and I hope the launch party is a success and lots of fun.

Thank you Teresa. Those lentils are very earthy and hearty, I agree. Very satisfying. I hope you like the pesto just as much when you try it out - you'll have to let me know!

Hi Erica, oh, now you've impressed mashed potatoes in my mind. Haven't had those for a while... mmmmmm mashed potatoes!

Michelle said...

hey dreena, was wondering if you think your 3 Bean Tomato Curry Soup and your Earthy Lentil Soup would freeze well? any other good freezing soups? i have yet another whole whack of post partum meals to make for friends!

Dreena said...

Hiya Michelle. You are SUCH a good friend to cook up soups for your new mama girlfriends! Both those soups freeze very, very well. For the most part, I find that pureed soups, or bean soups freeze quite well. Soups with pastas don't fare the best (pastas get too mushy and fall apart), and even some soups with more delicate grains (quinoa/rice) can get a touch mushy. Also, soups with greens, sometimes the greens get overcooked and aren't as nice as when first made. Other soups get better with freezing, like chilis. Most of the soups in Vive freeze well, esp those two and Kamut Bean Stew and Chipotle Corn Black Bean. From TEV, both the Pureed Squash soup and Parsnip soup are excellent to freeze, and also Chickpea Mash Stew. Sometimes spicier foods are tricky with new moms, so I also wouldn't mind sharing a couple of my new soup recipes with you that aren't spicy (the 3-bean curry soup is spicy, and also the black bean is a touch spicy). Just e-mail me. :)

Michelle said...

thanks dreena! i emailed you :)

Aurelie said...

Yeah for a give away! Lentils are (beside chichpeas) my favorite legumes!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, this looks so delicious. I love lentils pretty much any way one might prepare them. :)
-Alison of www.mables.com/blog

Anonymous said...

I forgot to add in my email how my recent cooking has been indian food and all the ways you can slowcook lentils. MMM. We, Vandana and I, had a party two weekends ago and had everything vegan but appealable to everyone. Meaning nothing so outlandish that people would be afraid to eat it. Just great indian food. Everyone loved it! Oh and how about sagg. YUMM. Spinach and mustard greens are perfect for each other.

Dreena said...

Hi Alison, thanks. I'm a lentil lover too! :)

Hey vegan pilot! I have come to love Indian food in the last couple of years. I have a post coming up (once I've got this manuscript all finished), about how to make some Indian food short-cuts. Not entirely authentic, but totally delicious! btw - I think you need a blog to show us all of your fabulous-sounding Indian dishes (and other cooking delights)!