Carrot and courgette stir fry with sorghum, cabbage and avocado + kale marinated lentils

A stir fry is something a make all the time, but they close to never look the same! I take whatever veggies I have at home, grate some of them and cut some of them. I fry the greens with garlic and ginger (those two are pretty much always the same. Never get tired of them) for a few minutes, mix with any pre cooked cereal or pseudo cereal that I have at home, add some fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Might add an avocado on top + some extra (pre cooked) lentils or beans that I've just marinated.

So, the key to having the dinner, lunch or whatever ready in 15 is to have a few things sorted out the day before. And it's really (REALLY) easy bits. Cooking any/a couple of cereals or pseudo cereals (quinoa, buckwheat, sorghum, millet, naked oats, brown rice, red rice, wild rice...you get the point!) + any/a couple of legumes. Then you're ready to create masterpieces in just 15 minutes the days ahead. But if you have not pre cooked anything you don't have to feel down, you can do it all at the same time too. 

Anyways - here comes the recipe!!

 

Carrot and courgette fry with sorghum, cabbage and avocado

Served with kale marinated beluga lentils

4 people

Ingredients

6 carrots

2 courgettes

1 yellow onion

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

4 dl cooked sorghum (naked oats, quinoa, wild rice, brown rice etc works just as fine) (equals about 2 dl / 0.8 US cups uncooked lentils)

1/4 cabbage 

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 dl / 0.4 US cups fresh parsley, finely chopped

4 dl cooked beluga lentils (equals about 1 1/3 dl / 0.6 US cups uncooked lentils)

1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil

Kale (pesto) marinade

3 dl / 1.2 US cups kale leaves, teared in to smaller pieces

1 dl pepitas, preferably toasted

1 dl cold pressed olive oil

1 small garlic clove

1 tbsp nutritional yeast * (optional)

flakey salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For serving

2 avocados

toasted buckwheat groats (learn how to make them here)

How to

Scrub and grate the carrots. Cut the courgette in smaller pieces. Finely slice the cabbage using a mandoline or vegetable peeler or just slice using a sharp knife.

Peel and finely slice the onion + garlic, fry in coconut oil until soft and fragrant in a frying pan with high sides (or use a wok pan if you have one!). Add the carrots and courgette and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the sorghum and turmeric, toss around until everything is golden, lovely looking and has a nice temperature.

Add the cabbage + parsley, toss around. Salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all the ingredients for the kale pesto. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss around with the beluga lentils. 

Serve your stir fry with lentils, avocado and sprinkle toasted buckwheat (or any nuts/seeds) on top. Other things that would be nice to add could be sprouts/shots/microgreens, baby spinach. 

Mindfully ENJOY! 

* Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast which is high in protein and contains some B-vitamins and also have traces of other vitamins and minerals. The yeast is flakey and yellow and has a nutty/creamy/cheesy flavour. Can be used in plant based cooking (in sauces, lasagna, on kale chips, popcorn and as one of the main ingredients when making vegan parmesan - just to mention a few!). You find nutritional yeast in natural/health food stores and online.

Beluga lentil and naked oats salad with cinnamon roasted carrots, black kale and pecans

This is perfect way of enjoying all the wonderful winter flavors that are around this time of year. Great texture, warming flavors and lots of healthy goodies in one plate is how I would describe this pretty salad. I used one of my favorite grains, naked oats, and beluga lentils as the base for this salad. The naked oats needs to soak for a few hours before cooking, so this one needs a bit of preparation. But it’s well worth it! I often cook a lot (both naked oats and beluga lentils) at the same time and store some in the fridge. Then I have a great base for all sorts of salads at any time.

Crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside-carrots, crispy kale, soft and warming apples, nutty pecans and sweet cranberries all add to the whole winter feeling in this salad. I finished it all off with another thing I always have in the fridge – my herb dressing. It’s super easy and makes any sallad or dish really yummy.

Serve the salad as it is or with a piece of goat cheese, or as a side salad to your winter dinner. Why not put in on your christmas dinner table? I hope you really enjoy it! 

Beluga lentil and naked oats salad with cinnamon roasted carrots, black kale and pecans

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 dl beluga lentils

1 dl naked oats

4 medium sized carrots

250 grams black kale

2-3 garden apples

50 grams pecan nuts (approx. 1 dl)

60 grams dried cranberries (approx. 1 dl), preferably without sugar

Herb dressing

1 dl cold pressed rapeseed oil

1/2 garlic clove

1 tsp lime juice

1 dl of your favorite fresh herbs (or 3 tbsp frozen)

sea salt, black pepper to taste

How to

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees celsius. Cook the naked oats and beluga lentils according to the instructions on the packaging (naked oats needs to soak for at least one hour before cooking).

Peel and cut the carrots in to chuncks. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Wash and tear the black kale in to bits, massage with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cut the apples in to chunks and season with cinnamon. Put the carrots on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 25 minutes. Turn the carrots half way through. When 10 minutes remains, lower the temperature to 200 degrees, and add the black kale and apples. Bake until the kale are crisp.

Mix all the ingredients for the herb dressing in a mixer, or using a immersion blender. 

Mix the roasted carrots, kale and apples with the naked oats and beluga lentils. Put on a big plate, sprinkle with pecans and dried cranberries. Drizzle with the herb dressing. Serve and enjoy!