vegetarian – The Inspired Parent

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

We love quinoa. This gluten-free, ancient superfood has been a staple in our home for several years — it’s a great substitute for pasta, rice or couscous. Mild in flavor, this extremely versatile grain pairs beautifully with all sorts of flavor combinations.

We’ve made quinoa bowls for quite some time (black beans, quinoa, veggies, etc.) and decided to give it a try using enchilada sauce to change things up a bit. Added some of our favorite cheese sprinkled on top & baked it & our Quinoa Enchilada Casserole was born! We’ve cooked it at least once a month ever since. It’s a great dish if you’re feeling like comfort foods — keeps you filled up, reheats beautifully and is just as tasty at room temperature as it is piping hot out of the oven, so it’s great for a party if you’re serving buffet-style.

Best part is that you could easily change things up…maybe try a different bean combination, add some other veggies, make it spicy or keep it mild. The options are only as limited as your culinary imagination. Any which way, this is just one tiny sample of how scrumptious quinoa can be. Happy eating!

Enjoy!

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Originally published April 2016.

Onion Tart

Oh, wonderfully delicious onion tart! The first time we remember being blown away by one was at Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival more than a decade ago. The France kiosk had a version that was perfectly caramelized with a crisp yet light crust — it impressed us so much that we looked through a bunch of cookbooks that afternoon hoping to find a recipe that seemed similar so we could try to make one at home. We purchased a couple of books & tried them when we returned but they weren’t quite the same as the deliciousness we had that day at the park.

Over the years, Mr. The Inspired Parent has tried different versions — he’s nailed it with one that is now a family favorite.

The crust in our version has a bit of corn meal in it, making it a more savory-style crust. We find that this not only adds a great little crispy quality but the flavor pairs perfectly with the onion mixture. Don’t rush cooking the onions — low & slow is the key to increasing the flavor of the onions, softening them nearly to the point of caramelization though you’ll back off on the heat before getting to that point.

As long as you keep an eye on the onions so they don’t brown, this is a simple recipe and quite an impressive one that your friends & family will love!

Happy Cooking!

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Lentil Stew

“Pasta & Lenticchie” (lentil soup served over Ditalini) was a staple in our house throughout my childhood. This simple, hearty, perfect-for-a-cold-day comfort meal was one of my favorites and still is. Lentils are a small but mighty little bean that are not only a great source of non-meat protein, but pack quite a punch with loads of vitamins. They’re also great for curbing hunger and also excellent for stabilizing blood sugar levels. Throw in the fact that they are inexpensive, low in calories, quick and easy to prepare and lentils are one bean worth adding into your meal rotations.

This Lentil Stew is a heartier version of a basic Lentil Soup that my family typically makes. The differences between the soup version and this one are the addition of potatoes, carrot & celery. The addition of these vegetables turns our soup into a thicker stew. We’ve served this version as-is with a crusty slice of bread or, to bulk it up a bit, served it over brown rice. Either way, this version is packed full of goodness and will keep your hunger pangs at bay.

Lentil Stew

Ingredients:

2 TBSP olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
2 tsp. salt
4 stalks celery, chopped
8 oz. fresh spinach, rinsed & slightly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. dried Peperoncino (red pepper flakes) or more if you like it spicy
3 carrots, evenly chopped into bite-size chunks
1 bag (16 oz.) lentils, sorted through & rinsed
2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & cut evenly into bite-size chunks
Water
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmigiano-Regiano, freshly grated

Cleaning the Lentils:

Clean & rinse your lentils. I usually do the lentil-sorting on a large cookie sheet – you’re basically looking for any small bits of non-lentil material which could be anything from a tiny stone to a bit of grain. I’ve had some packages of lentils that didn’t contain any non-lentil matter but occasionally you’ll find something. Once you sort through the lentils, put them in a colander and give them a good rinse. Set aside.

Making the Stew:

In a large (5 qt.) dutch oven or stock pot, sauté the onion with the olive oil over medium heat for a minute or two, until the onion begins to soften.
Sprinkle the salt over the onion and add the celery and spinach. Continue to sauté for another two minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic & red pepper flakes and carrots. Sauté for approximately two more minutes or until the spinach is nicely wilted, yet still has a pop of bright green color to it.
Add the cleaned & rinsed lentils to the pot, stir the mixture to combine.
Add enough water to cover the lentils (typically leaving 2 inches of room at the top of the pot). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Sample the broth and add salt to taste. It is important to add salt at this step before you add the potatoes so they can be properly salted as they cook in the broth. Once you’re satisfied with the broth, add the potatoes & continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.
Check the potatoes. Simmer for a few more minutes if the potatoes are not soft enough.
This soup retains heat very well – we typically take if off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes before doing a final taste-test to see if we need any extra salt.
Serve in warmed bowls and sprinkle with freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Regiano. Add a bit of freshly ground black pepper, if you desire.

Enjoy!