Black Bean Lentil Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing

Ingredients

1 cup dry lentils (green or brown) ($1.19/bag)
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained (Wild Harvest Organic $1.18)
1 red bell pepper ($1.00)
1/2 small red onion ($.50)
1-2 roma tomatoes ($2.00)
Large bunch cilantro, stems removed ($.99)
Optional: green onion

For the Dressing

Juice of 1 lime ($1.50)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. salt
Optional: chipotle powder, chili powder, pepper, hot sauce, other seasonings, etc.

Directions

1) Cook lentils according to package directions, leaving firm not mushy. Drain.
2) While lentils are cooking, make the dressing: place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3) Finely dice the bell pepper, onion, and tomatoes. Roughly chop the cilantro.
4) In a large bowl, place the black beans, bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and lentils. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Add cilantro, and lightly toss.
5) Serve immediately or chill covered in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors combine.

Vegan, gluten-free. From thegardengrazer.com

Greek Stuffed Peppers

http://www.edibleperspective.com/home/2013/10/8/greek-stuffed-peppers.html

I was looking for something different to cook and made these for a side. The were great. You can add steak or chicken to them and eat them for a main entree as well. The original recipe has been changed. You can find it here.


Ingredients

2 cups cooked quinoa (can cook in water or veggie stock)
1 cup water
3-4 red bell peppers,  halved + de-seeded
3/4 cup chopped red onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups chickpeas, rinsed + drained
1/2 cup halved kalamata olives, pitted
scant 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
6 handfuls baby spinach
4-6oz feta cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
salt to taste
olive oil, for cooking

Directions

1. In a sauce pot, cook the quinoa. You can boil it in a broth/stock or water.
2. Heat another large pot or sauce pan with a swirl of oil over medium.
3. Preheat your oven to broil and lightly oil, salt, and pepper the halved peppers and place on a baking sheet.
4. Just as you remove the quinoa from the burner, heat another large pan over medium and add 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil.
5. Once hot, add the onion and stir occasionally until translucent and soft.  About 5-8 minutes.
6. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and black pepper for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add in the chickpeas and cook for about 6-8 minutes until starting to brown.
7. While cooking, place peppers under the broiler for a 2-4 minutes, then flip and broil for another 2-4 minutes.  You want them slightly tender, not limp.  Set aside.
8. To your pan add the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and 2 cups of quinoa and stir together.
9. Add in your spinach and incorporate until just starting to wilt, another 3-4 minutes.
10. Add half the feta, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then give it one more stir and taste.  Add more salt if desired. The olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheese have a hefty amount of sodium so taste and add as desired.
11. Lightly pack into peppers, top with remaining feta, and place under the broiler until the mixture starts to brown.  About 2-3 minutes.