Bruschetta Lentil Salad

The easiest healthy meal you can make 

(for lunch, dinner, or as a hearty side)

I love Trader Joe’s. Anywhere that gives me fewer options—while not skimping on the quality—ranks high in my book. Such is the beauty of In-n-Out, right? (Although, their milkshakes desperately need a Chick-fil-A-style makeover. And their fries are only good fresh and hot. But when they are hot, and dipped in their spread, yum.)

This simplicity of choices eliminates the selection anxiety that so often paralyzes me at grocery stores/fast food places/even restaurants. I just want something really good, so why do I have to navigate between seven different brands of peanut butter?

My admiration for the store runs deep enough that my sister* jokingly accused me of working some undercover job for Trader Joe’s to promote their products. This was after several instances of me recommending TJ’s brand products to her, or waxing eloquent about recipes that used only ingredients found at TJ’s. I wish they paid me for that. (If you are hiring, I want that job!)

This recipe is one of those beauties, though I can’t claim credit for it. My fabulous friend Devanie, who is as cool as her name makes her sound, served it to us when my kids and I crashed at her place on our first road trip sans Spencer. She has great taste in interior design (her background), in fashion, in food, so of course I have recreated everything that she fed me many times. And she loves Trader Joe’s too!

Now, this is one of my go-to quick meals. It can be whipped up in as long as it takes you to dice an avocado, open three packages, unscrew a lid, dump, and stir. It couldn’t be easier or quicker. (But it could be cheaper, if you just bought uncooked lentils and cooked them yourself in some broth. And you could also skip the avocado if you want to make it even less expensive.)

Plus, it is high in plant-based protein and served on leafy greens, both of which make our cells sing for joy! And even with so little prep and no meat as a flavor-cheater, the flavor is robust and fantastic. The combination of the bruschetta (pronounced bruce-KEH-ta if you want to sound Italian, or if your husband speaks Italian and thinks the Anglicized version sounds ridiculous!) and the feta is mouth-watering. And then add to that the creaminess of the avocado and the slightly bitter bite of the arugula to really round out the flavors.

You are going to thank me for this. And then we are all going to thank Devanie together!

Full Ingredients List:

   -1 (7 oz) package of arugula (If you hate it, you could use some other leafy green, but it does

pair excellently with the other flavors of this recipe.)

   -1 (12 oz) jar of bruschetta (I recently made it using TJ’s fresh bruschetta, but I surprisingly

prefer their jarred version for this.)

   -1 (17.6 oz) package of steamed lentils

   -3-4 oz feta cheese**, crumbled (I usually buy TJs 6 oz package of Crumbled Feta with

Mediterranean Herbs since the added seasonings go so well with this dish.)

   -1 ripe avocado, optional (As you can see in the photos, I didn’t have an avocado when I made

it the last time.)

Recipe:

Mix together in a medium sized bowl the:

   -1 package of steamed lentils

   -1 jar of bruschetta

Crumble in the:

   -3-4 oz feta cheese**

Dice:

   -1 ripe avocado

and sprinkle the pieces of avocado with a little salt. (As my brother Matt taught me, always salt avocado. That is, if you want it to taste good.) Add it to the bruschetta lentil mixture and gently combine it all.

To serve:

Spoon a generous heaping of the bruschetta lentil mixture over:

   -an individual plate serving of arugula

(If you aren’t going to eat it all in one sitting/if you don’t want to plate individual servings, serve the bruschetta lentil mixture in one bowl and the arugula in another, so you won’t get the greens soggy. Then you can just refrigerate the leftovers separately and enjoy them later.)

Dig in! The bruschetta is juicy enough and flavorful enough that it creates its own dressing, so no additional dressing is needed. If you want to kick up the acid a notch, feel free to drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over the lentil mixture, but it really isn’t necessary.

*Now she is really the one who should be starting a food blog. She has always been a gourmet chef and now has the Culinary Institute of America diploma to prove it. She is inspiring in so many ways.

**Simply skip the feta to make it vegan.

Over the Moon Cake

Have you ever heard of moon cake? And no, not mooncake. (Red bean paste in dessert isn't really my forte.)

I’m talking about the inside-out eclair cake with a flattened cream puff shell for a crust, layered with an instant pudding and cream cheese combo, and topped with whipped topping and Hershey's Syrup swirlies? Well, it's good. And it's easy.

But, in my usual style, I opted for a little more work, to:

A) significantly improve the taste
and
B) cut the sugar in half!

So, a little more elbow grease and a little more time are totally worth it, right?

And why not swap the vanilla pudding for not-too-sweet homemade caramel pudding? And why use whipped hydrogenated oils, I mean whipped "topping" when you could use perfectly sweetened whipped cream? And why use Hershey's Syrup when you could use hot fudge sauce? (Really, though, in any circumstance?)

And while we're at it, why not fancy-it-up a bit with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a fairy dust sprinkling of toffee bits (to give it some fantastic textural interest)?

This is OVER the Moon Cake, after all.

Need to wow a crowd? This is the dessert for you. (It makes a whole cookie sheet-sized "cake" so there is plenty to share.)

Following the firm precedent I have set ;) you will find a full ingredient list immediately below, followed by a recipe (more of a guide) that includes the amount of each ingredient right where you need it! Don't be intimidated by the length, though. You just make a very simple crust, make some pudding, whip up some cream, and do some last-minute drizzling, and sprinkling. That's it!

Full Ingredient List:

10 TBS butter (1 cube plus 2 TBS)

8 oz cream cheese, softened (per usual)

4 C whole milk (divided into ½ C and 3 ½ C)

1 ½ C heavy whipping cream

5 eggs

1 ¼ C flour

6 TBS cornstarch

3 tsp pure vanilla extract (divided into 2 TBS and 1 TBS)

½ C + 2 TBS sugar (divided)

¼ tsp salt

about 3 TBS hot fudge sauce

about 3 TBS caramel sauce (Yummy Syrup is always my go-to caramel sauce)

about 3 TBS toffee bits (I found these in the baking aisle, but after reading this I think I will opt for a crushed Skor Bar in the future. That is, when I finally finish this bag!)

Crust:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan.

Bring to a boil over high heat:

   1 ¼ C water

   10 TBS butter

Remove from heat and stir in:

   1 ¼ C flour

Then add, one at a time:

   5 eggs

Incorporating each one thoroughly before adding another. Spread fairly evenly onto the greased cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the pudding.

Caramel Pudding: (Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

In a little bowl, whisk until smooth:

   1/2 C milk

   6 TBS cornstarch

   2 tsp vanilla extract

   ¼ tsp salt

And then just set it aside for a while.

In a large saucepan bring to a boil, over medium high heat:

   ½ C sugar

   6 TBS water

Leave it, undisturbed, about 8 minutes, until a deep amber caramel forms. (Fight the urge to stir!) Check it frequently so it doesn’t burn.

Remove from the heat. Very gradually whisk in:

   3 ½ C milk

Return saucepan to the stove and whisk constantly, over medium heat, until the caramel has dissolved again. (Watch it carefully so it doesn’t bubble over when it starts to boil.) Turn the burner down to low and let it simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Gradually whisk the milk/cornstarch mixture into the caramel. Turn the heat up to medium and stir it about 1 minute, or until it thickens. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap to avoid that pesky pudding skin from forming, and let cool for about 10 minutes. 

Using a handheld or stand mixer, whip until fluffy:
   8 oz softened cream cheese
and then add the slightly cooled pudding and whip until completely combined. If the crust is cool, spread the pudding/cream cheese goodness over the entire crust. 

Now whip up (with a handheld or stand mixer):

   1 ½ C heavy whipping cream

   2 TBS sugar

   1 tsp vanilla

until it forms soft peaks, and spread the whipped cream over the pudding. (If the pudding is still hot, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it is only slightly warm, about 15 minutes. Then spread whipped cream over the top.) Cover and refrigerate until fully cool (about 2 hours) and ready to serve.

Just before serving, heat up the needed fudge sauce and caramel sauce and drizzle over the whole cake. (You can use a knife to make fun designs, if it suits you. Also, you can do this drizzling earlier, but I prefer to wait so that the design doesn't get smudged by covering it.) As the finishing touch, sprinkle the toffee bits all over. Cut into squares and dig in, already!

Peach Pie for Peace

If a single recipe could bring together everyone in the world, to dine at a communal table of love and mutual respect, it would be this recipe. (Not that "the world" is going to see this, but I've got to start sharing it somewhere, right?)

Every time I have fresh peaches, I want to make this. Every time I even think about peach season, I want to make this. And, oh my goodness, don't even get me started what reading this classic does to me! It is my favorite pie, and I LOVE a good pie. (Although, my fresh raspberry pie does come close. I will have to share that one soon, too.) 

But sadly, even at great farmers' markets, famous pie shops, and hoity toity dessert restaurants, I have never found ANY pie that came close to this level of perfection. And truly, few desserts of any type can compete with this one.

Because you don't cook the peaches, you get to enjoy them in their full, juice-trickling-down-your-face glory, with all of the robust, sweet and tart tantalizing flavor of a ripe peach. Add to that a layer of cream cheesy whipped cream goodness, and a homemade oatmeal pie crust (or even a regular pie crust) to keep it all together, and now we are talking about a pie worth starting a food blog. 

So, why does no one else make this?

NOTE: This may look long and complicated, but I wrote it this way to make it easier to use while cooking. It's less of a recipe and more of a guide for cooking. Plus, you have the amount of each ingredient in the recipe right when you need it, so you don't have to reference the ingredient list two dozen times each time you make it! (But I included a full ingredients list at the top, too, for grocery shopping ease.)

And so, without further ado, the recipe*. 

Perfect Peach Pie

Yield: 1 perfect 9" pie

Total Time: about 2 hrs 45 mins (And worth every second!)

Active Time: about 45 mins (Though you are probably more efficient than I am.)

Full ingredients list:

1 pie crust, cooked and cooled

or these five ingredients--

1 C quick oats

1/3 C flour
1/3 C brown sugar1/3 C cold butter, cut into small cubes

1/2 tsp salt

6-7 large fresh peaches (about 3 C) peeled and sliced

2-5 TBS lemon juice (2 TBS for sure, plus a couple more TBS if your peaches aren't juicy enough)

3/4 C sugar, divided into 1/4 C and 1/2 C

3 TBS cornstarch

2 TBS butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/2 C whipping cream

3 oz cream cheese, softened

2 TBS powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla

Peach Pie Filling (Part 1):

Combine:

   6-7 fresh peaches (about 3 C) peeled and sliced

   2 TBS lemon juice

   1/4 C sugar
and let stand 1 hour. Meanwhile, make:

CRUST: a normal pie crust tastes delicious with this, but be sure to COOK IT and let it COOL completely before adding the fillings. Or, live a little, and try this recipe:

Oatmeal Pie Crust: (slightly adapted from Tastes of Lizzy T's)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine:

   1 C quick oats

   1/3 C flour

   1/3 C brown sugar

   1/2 tsp salt

With two knives (or with a pastry cutter or in a food processor, if you are fancy like that), cut in:

   1/3 C cold butter, (cut into small cubes)

until mixture is all crumbly. Press firmly into a lightly greased 9" pie plate, and bake for 10-13 mins or until light brown. While it is baking, make the following cream cheese layer. (Cool crust completely before filling.) 

Cream cheese layer:

Using a hand mixer, whip up, until it's fluffy:

   3 oz cream cheese, softened

Add:

   1/2 C whipping cream

   2 TBS powdered sugar

   3/4 tsp vanilla

Whip until well combined and thickened. After crust has cooled, spread on the bottom of the crust and leave (covered) in the fridge until the other filling is ready.

Peach Pie Filling (Part 2):

After peaches have stood for 1 hour, drain the juices into a 1 cup measure and fill remaining space with about 1/3 C water and then more lemon juice (if needed to reach the 1 C mark).

In a sauce pan, whisk together:

   1/2 C sugar

   3 TBS cornstarch
Whisk in the 1 C of syrupy juices from the peaches/water. Bring to a boil on high and boil for 3 mins, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. 

Whisk in to the thickened sauce:   

   2 TBS butter

   1/4 tsp salt

   1/4 tsp almond extract

Allow to cool for a few mins. Then fold in the peaches so that they are evenly coated with the thick sauce. Pour on top of the cream cheese layer, which is already in the crust. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. DEVOUR!

*Recipe heavily adapted from one given to me by one of my favorite people in the world, whom I happened to meet in the Peach State, Kristi Manuel. (And just for the record, the peaches I had in GA were not that good. UT, on the other hand, has incredible peaches. And surprisingly [for me, at least] we found some really tasty ones in B'more too!)