Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
4 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups dry lentils
8 cups chicken/vegetable broth (I use Herb Ox sodium free packets)
2 cup spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vinegar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1.In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for 2 minutes.

2.Stir in lentils, and add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts. Stir in vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired.

2. Serve in bowl topped with parmesan cheese.

Thai Chicken Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast tenders
Montreal Grill Seasoning
1 TBSP Soy Sauce
Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Salad:

1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on an angle
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrots/matchstick carrots
3 scallions, sliced on an angle
12 leaves basil, chopped or torn
3 TBSP/4 sprigs chopped mint leaves, optional
1 TBSP sesame seeds
2 tsp sugar
2 TBSP Rice Wine Vinegar
Peanut Sauce (any brand)
4 12 inch tortilla wraps (I use low carb)

Directions:

brush chicken with EVOO, sprinkle with grill seasoning. You can grill the chicken or saute it. I usually saute it in the pan for ease. When cooked through, sprinkle soy sauce over, then remove from pan. Set Aside.

Combine cucumber, sprouts, carrots, scallions, basil, mint and sesame with a generous sprinkle of sugar and vinegar. Season salad with salt, to taste.

Slice cooked chicken on an angle. Toss with veggies and herbs.

In a very hot nonstick skillet or over a gas burner heat tortillas 15 seconds on each side.

Pile chicken and veggies in wraps and drizzle liberally with spicy peanut sauce before wrapping and rolling.

Vegetarian Pot Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen potatoes
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
2/3 cup milk, skim

4 Pet Ritz Frozen Pie Crusts (it will make 1 pies) OR 1 box crust mix to make indivudual servings (which is great for leftovers!)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2.In a saucepan, carrots, peas, potatoes, and celery. Add water to cover and boil. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

3.In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions and mushrooms in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and celery seed. Slowly stir in vegetable broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

4.Place the carrot mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

5.Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.


*If you prefer to use a pie crust mix, I put my pot pie filling in a large stoneware bowls, cover with pie crust (trim away excess and cut slit in top), and bake the same way (on a cookie sheet of course).