Picked Clean

Why, oh why, do the weekend pass by so quickly?

I have no pictures from lunch since I was just enjoying the company at our potluck, but my food turned out great!

My vegetarian enchilada-pasta dish was completely gone! Nothing left in the crockpot except for a black bean or two. I’m so glad it turned out well, because I kind of made it up as I went along last night  :)  I made some extras for us to have this week, so I’ll post my recipe along with that in a day or two.

I also made a 9×13 dish of those cookie-topped brownies, and most of those were eaten, as well. I had some of my pasta dish, a piece of grilled chicken, a little bit of another veggie-full casserole, some fresh peaches + nectarines, and a lot of watermelon. It was good!

It was nice to sit and talk with everyone and catch up! A few couples hadn’t been there the weeks we had been, and since we were gone a few weeks ago, I feel like it had been a long time since we’d seen them.

Nick and I came home with full bellies and took a little Sunday afternoon nap on the couch with Roxy, which is tradition and one that I love. After getting up from the nap, I started working on laundry and cleaning the house while listening to a little Jennifer Knapp and Old Crowe Medicine Show. Nick mowed the lawn while I was working inside, and we both finished up about the same time so I started on dinner.

I had seen this lentil and brown rice cake recipe in one of the latest Clean Eating magazines and had marked it to make this week.

lentilcake

The flavors were so good in these cakes, but they started out by not holding together well at all. I ended up adding 1 more tablespoon of flour to the mix to get them to stay together better.

Also, instead of shaping the patties by hand, I used a 1/3 cup measuring scoop and just scooped the mixture into that, pressed it down, then turned it out into the hot pan. I pressed them out a bit, and they actually flipped well and mostly stayed together that way.

lentilsalad

I also added some fresh cilantro to the lentil cakes – I don’t think you can have too much cilantro. BUT – they would be great without it, too.

Instead of making the salad and dressing in the recipe, I just used up a bunch of stuff in our fridge.

My lentil/rice cake tower salad had:

  • romaine
  • garden tomatoes
  • corn
  • 2 lentil/rice cakes
  • guacamole
  • fresh salsa

lentilsalad

Overall, I really liked this recipe. The flavors in the cakes were great, and I love the mixture of lentils + nutty brown rice.

I was going to say that I needed to pack my lunch for work tomorrow, but I’m working from home so I guess I don’t have to! I keep forgetting  :)

I’m off to watch a new Iron Chef America! Allez Cuisine!

Do you like lentils? What’s your favorite way to have them?

15 comments

  1. My mom makes a lentil dip with onion in it that tastes JUST like chopped liver… which is a family favorite that we don’t eat because its so bad for us!

  2. I love red lentils in curry dishes. I don’t know if they taste different than brown, but I love them. Your lentil-rice cakes look delicious….I really need to just subscribe to Clean Eating magazine, they have awesome recipes!

  3. Glad your enchiladas went over so well! I can’t wait for the recipe!

  4. I’m just learning the possibilities of lentils…and that looks great. Unfortunately, my hubby is a big “meatatarian” so lentils usually accompanies a meat dish.

    Just got back from vacay and saw your pics of the orphanage. Man that hurts when people mismanage funds. I believe it happens more common than we think. I noticed they were all boys at that orphanage. Do they have a seperate one for girls? Can’t wait to hear more about your trip.

  5. Oh my goodness, that lentil cake + salad looks so amazing! I like lentil burgers, and I usually eat them over salad, too :)

  6. I think the only way I’ve eaten lentils is in lentil soup and as a side in salads. But that lentil cake is a great idea. I keep seeing rice cakes recently – Morningstar has these Asian rice cakes in the freezer aisle and while they look interesting, I think I can make a better version myself. Thanks for the inspiration!

  7. Wow! That looks so good!

  8. Oh my gosh! I want that recipe! How do I get it?

  9. That looks absolutely amazing!! I want that recipe too! YUM!

  10. gorgeous dinner! lentils are da bomb.

  11. mmm I love lentils. I especially love going to French restaurants and having a french lentil salad. Any form of protein over a bed of lentils is awesome. That cake looks amazing!

  12. That lentil cake looks fantastic! Glad your food was a hit :)

    My favorite way to have lentils is snobby joes or I’ve had them in an Amy’s pot pie before. Both very good!

  13. I’ve never had lentils!

    Do you like the Clean Eating mag? I am thinking about getting a subscription

  14. Lentils remind me of Persian food my momma cooks. The best is this lentil noodle soup called ash. There’s also this rice dish that has lentils, raisins, walnuts, and chicken that is to die for and I love making it for my parents when I’m feeling like spoiling them.

  15. I love lentils! My favorite way to eat lentils: Lentil Soup :) But that lentil and brown rice cake seriously looks delicious.

Comments are closed.