From the new three week reset program I found online and courtesy of now defunct magazine Whole Living here is my favorite from week one. I'll be eating this one a lot.

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

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• 2 Tbsp coconut or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 diced large onion
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 minced cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 peeled and diced sweet potatoes
• 1 diced (stemmed, seeded) red bell pepper
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups rinsed red lentils
• 6Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook cumin, turmeric and curry powder until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion with a few pinches salt, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until tender, about 2 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and bell pepper and cook 1 minute.
2. Add lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro before serving.

After finishing three weeks on the reset plan, and then duplicating it backwards to slowly re-introduce some foods that I had not been eating, such as cheese (the thing I craved the most) and pasta I found this recipe and having shared it successfully with my family for their reaction will now share with you too. I served it with steamed asparagus (six minutes in a steamer with lemon juice and a little olive oil in the water), though a good Bratwurst would have appropriate too.

Blue Cheese, Mustard and Beer Noodles:
(serves 4)

12 oz wide egg noodles
2 tbsp butter (I substituted extra-virgin olive oil)
1/4 cup chopped white onions
I tbsp Dijon Mustard
i tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup beer, room temperature
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper,
2 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Cook noodles as the package directs.

Meanwhile, heat oil or butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and add beer and mustard.

Drain noodles and add the saucepan; stir to coat. Add 1/4 cup blue cheese, stirring gently to combine, add salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1/4 cup blue cheese and the parsley on top to serve.


Here is a second dish that can be served vegetarian-style or with steak. We ate the surplus beans for lunch the second day. It was something I had tried before the reset program and so had never really gone vegetarian for more than an occasional meal so I enjoyed the beef. The recipe I followed called for skirt steak but certainly flank steak would have sufficed in its place.

Ancho-Marinated Skirt Steak with Warm Black Bean Salad:
(serves 6)

1/2 cup Syrah dry red wine
1/2 cup red wine vinegar, divided
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tbsp minced garlic, divided
1 tbsp pepper
2 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp ground ancho chiles or chili powder
11/2 pounds steak
2 fresh poblano chiles
1 large sweet onion chopped
3 cans black beans (15oz), drained and rinsed
1 large red pepper cut in to 1/2 inch chunks
11/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Combine wine, 1/4 cup each vinegar and oil, 1 tbsp each garlic and pepper, I tsp each salt and cumin, the oregano and ground chiles in a large, resealable plastic food bag. Cut steak in half crosswise, rinse, add to bag, seal and turn to coat. Chill at least 4 hours or as much as 24 hours.

Preheat broiler. Halve, stem and seed the poblanos. Lay skin side up on a baking sheet and broil 4 inches from heat until well charred, about 7 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, then peel and coarsely chop.

Heat grill to high. In a large frying pan over medium heat, saute onion and remaining 1 tbsp garlic in 2 tbsp oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in beans and remaining 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 tsp each pepper, salt and cumin, turn heat to low.

Oil cooking grate well. Lift steak from marinade (discard marinade) and grill, turning once, until browned on both sides but still pink in the center, 7-10 minutes total. Transfer to cutting board and let sit 5 minutes.

Meanwhile add poblanos, red pepper, tomatoes, 3 green onions and cilantro to bean mixture, and stir occasionally until warm. Slice steak on the diagonal across the grain and serve on the warm bean salad. Garnish with green onion if you like.

I found this recipe on the back of a box of quinoa. I had just finished the three weeks of my reset plan and this dish used many of ingredients so I didn't feel like I was cheating to far from the line, but the appeal of a little bit of Mozzella after no cheese for the whole 3-week plan would not let me pass it by. It was scrumptious.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers:
(serves 4)
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
4 large green peppers
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used oyster mushrooms)
2 tbsp butter (I substituted extra-virgin olive oil)
1 - 28 oz can tomatoes, coarsely diced (reserve juice)
2 garlic gloves, crushed
1 -12oz jar salsa
2 tbsp dry sherry
10 oz Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Pre-heat oven to 325. Prepare quinoa (see prior instructions in this blog - or on the box) Steam peppers until soft but not limp - this helps remove the stems and seeds when you cut the tops off. In a large skillet, saute onion and mushrooms with butter or oil. Add the diced tomatoes (reserve the juice). Add the crushed garlic and salsa. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the sherry and simmer 10 more minutes. Fold in quinoa. Place peppers in baking dish and fill with mixture. This will take about half the mixture. This the rest with the tomato juice and pour around the peppers. Sprinkle shredded Mozzarella over peppers and bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes.