Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto

Activism Alert!

Produce On Parade

Tomorrow, October 2nd, I hope you will join me in a fast against animal suffrage. Pigs and cows are often starved before they are sent to slaughter and hopefully this cause will bring some awareness to horrible cruelty inflicted upon the animals who share this planet with us. If you decide to join in, be sure to hashtag #FastAgainstSlaughter

Okay, now onto more merry festivities. Happy World Vegetarian Day! Perhaps you have an elaborate bash tonight to celebrate? This is a wonderful dish for such an occasion. When you're trying to impress your friends with your awesome vegan culinary skills, remember it's equally important to impress yourself as well.

Maybe like me, you plan to be decked out in head to toe L.L.Bean sleepwear for the celebratory-worthy occasion of watching New Girl and The Mindy Project on Hulu. Well, this meal is perfect for that too. I've got you covered, no worries.

On a side note...positively October-appropriate dish right? Black and orange for Halloween! I've never been a huge fan of Halloween, but as of five years ago, it's become a very special day indeed. It's the day Todd and I met!

Produce On Parade - Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto - Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress.
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.”
— Albert Schweitzer
Produce On Parade - Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto - Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress.

Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress. 

Produce On Parade - Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto - Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress.
Produce On Parade - Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto - Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress.
Produce On Parade - Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto - Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress.

Aren't these purple carrots gorgeous? They came in my CSA box!

Produce On Parade - Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto - Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress.
Produce On Parade - Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto - Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress.
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Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto
by October-1-2014
Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress. NOTES: Feel free to use green lentils in place of black or beluga. Spinach can be used in place of the carrot greens. Skinny carrots will cook faster and work better in this dish than standard, large yellow carrots.
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup + 3 Tbsp. olive oil (divided)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 5 garlic cloves (divided), minced
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 cups beluga lentils, uncooked
  • 2 bushes (about 2 lbs.) of skinny carrots with green tops
  • -- Pesto --
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • heaping ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tbsp. liquid amino acids or soy sauce
  • ½ Tbsp. lemon juice
  • ½ cup water
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-low. Add the onion and 2 garlic cloves and sauté for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Now, add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Cover and reduce to a simmer for about 35 minutes, or until tender. Be careful not to overcook. Preheat oven to 400 F. Chop off the carrot greens, leaving about 1 inch, and wash very well. Place the greens (discard most of the stems) in a food processer. Wash the carrots and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with a nonstick cooking spray. Lightly brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. Bake at 400 F for 30-45 minutes, until tender. Add the pesto ingredients into the food processor with the greens, 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and three garlic cloves. Process until smooth and creamy. The pesto should be a little more liquid than regular pesto, so add additional water as needed.Serve the cooked lentils with a few roasted carrots on top and dressed with the pesto.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 6-8
Produce On Parade - Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto - Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress.
Produce On Parade - Roasted Carrots & Beluga Lentils with Carrot Greens Pesto - Roasted carrots rest atop beluga lentils, dressed with a fresh, carrot greens pesto. This exquisite dish is done in under an hour and will definitely impress.

Dutch Word of The Day

Happy --> Blij (blay)

Good Deed of The Day

Today, make an effort celebrate yourself. Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or just trying to reduce your animal consumption. And be sure to give an animal and planet loving friend a hug, too! Happy World Vegetarian Day!

Mango Salsa Black Beans + Red Coconut Rice

I'm not sure what exactly it is. The older I get the less I'm able to tolerate bullshit benightedness (I love Word of The Day). The less I can accept it. I don't know why. I just don't have the mental stamina or the tolerance in the capacity that is needed to deal with it. Maybe, I'm just getting meaner? Doubtful. Maybe, at this point in my life I have better things to do. Probably. Maybe, I've just realized that being the nice girl with no opinions is innocuous, downright vapid, and horridly lame. Most likely. Yes, at this rate I will be a downrightmean old opinionated lady. No, that's not true. I won't. Just because you're old doesn't mean you're allowed to be rotten. I'm sorry, it doesn't. I don't care how many great grandchildren you have. It's no excuse. Maybe, it's the German I'm learning. I'm almost halfway done! Woot, woot! Level 8! Yes, I'm still rockin' it over at Duolingo and I think you should too. However, quite possibly, it's simply that I happen to be riding a streak of sassiness.

Well, at any rate, this Mango Salsa Black Beans + Red Coconut Rice was absolutely delicious and the perfect meal for my newfound boldness. Creamy black beans melt with fluffy lime coconut rice and garnished with cilantro and mango salsa.  This dish can be best summed up by Todd, "It's got a lot going on." Much like me.

Mango Salsa Black Beans + Red Coconut Rice

Now go make this dish. Challenge your ideals and question your actions. Research your information and form personal opinions. Try to be better than you are right now. Most of all though, be wary of insipidness and ignorance.It's ubiquitous. That's the advice for today. Just try to avoid all the morons.

Mango Salsa Black Beans + Red Coconut Rice


Mango Salsa Black Beans + Red Coconut Rice
By

Creamy black beans melt with fluffy lime coconut red rice and garnished with cilantro and mango salsa.

Ingredients
  • ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 cup red rice, dry
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 4 cups water
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • ¼ tsp. chipotle chili powder
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup mango salsa
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Scatter coconut flakes on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Ensure that they don't burn. Once they turn a tan color, remove from oven and set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan bring the rice, vegetable broth, water, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper to a boil over high heat. Give it a good stir, then once it reaches a boil, cover and turn down to simmer for about 45 minutes or until all the water is gone and the rice is fluffy. Towards the end, give it a few more good stirs to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add more water as needed. Red rice seems to take a lot of water I've noticed. If you're using different rice, then adjust accordingly.*
  3. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-low heat. Add in the chili and chipotle chili powder and saute a few minutes, then add the chopped onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Next, add the beans and 1 cup water and allow to simmer over low heat, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  4. Remove the beans from heat after the 20 minutes and add the coconut, lime juice and cilantro. Stir well to combine. Serve the beans over the rice and top with ¼ cup mango salsa.

    5. Prep time:
    Cook time:
    Total time:
    Yield: 4 servings

Save Money!

I buy my red rice here. It’s only $0.14 per oz versus $0.34 per oz at our local grocery store!

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For fun, what am I listening to? Blitzen Trapper – Furr