Lemony Lentil Soup

It is a wonderfully filling and delicious soup that can warm your body up in a cold weather.  It is something that I would make a big pot and bring it to work everyday for lunch.  I know the list of ingredients looks so long, but do not let that intimidates you.  Most of the items are just spices.  I hope you will enjoy this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Green Lentils, rinsed

1 Yellow Onion, peeled and chunked

2 Carrots, cut into bite size

2 Potatoes or green bananas, cut into bite size

1 Zucchini, cut into bite size

3 Tomatoes, cut into chunked

7-8 Garlic Cloves, peeled and minced

2 cups Canned Diced Tomatoes

1 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped

4 Limes, juiced (can be substitute for lemon)

4 cups Vegetable Broth

2 cups Water

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for frying)

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Power

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1-2 tablespoons Red Chili (optional)

Salt to taste

DIRECTION:

1. Heat up the oil over high heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Fry until they are fragrant; about 5 minutes.

2. Add lentils, zucchini, potato, tomato and carrot.  Stir fry for about 5-10 minutes.

3. Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, water and all the spices.  Bring it to a boil over high heat and then continuously cook for another 15 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat.  Add cilantro and lime juice.  Season the soup with salt to taste.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

INGREDIENTS:

2 Zucchinis

1/4 lemon of juice

2 tablespoons Grape Seed Oil

Pinch of Sea Salt

Pinch of Black Pepper (optional)

Pinch of Paprika (optional)

DIRECTION:

1. With a vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini into flat ribbons.  Place them into a mixing bowl.

2. Add grape seed oil, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper in the mixing bowl.  Gently toss everything together by hand.  Arrange the zucchini in a serving plate.  Sprinkle a pinch of paprika on top before serving, if preferred. 

Scrambled Egg with Zucchini ｜義大利青瓜炒蛋

Scrambled egg is amazingly easy to make. It can be put together in less than 10 minutes.  It can go with most of the vegetable or meat that's on hand, but it is also super tasty on its own.  This recipe is one of those that starts with "when you have half of a zucchini left in the fridge" ...

We love this recipe, and think the turmeric does a fantastic job adding an exotic flavour to it.  It is a pleasure to serve it as a light dish on a weeknight or a full brunch on the weekend.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Zucchini, small

6 Eggs, large

1/3 teaspoon Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 teaspoon Chinese Cooking Rice Wine

1/3 teaspoon Salt

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

材料：

1 條  義大利青瓜

6 隻  大雞蛋

1/3 茶匙 甜紅椒粉

1/2 茶匙  黃薑粉

1 茶匙  米酒

1/3 茶匙  鹽

2 湯匙  菜油

DIRECTION:

1. Cut the zucchini into sticks; set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, cooking wine, paprika, turmeric, and salt until smooth.

3. In a non-stick pan, heat up oil over high heat.  Add zucchini; stir fry until it becomes slightly softened.  Turn down the heat to medium-high.  Add egg mixture.  Continue to stir fry until the egg reaches to the desired texture; about 3-5 minutes.  Serve.

做法：

1. 青瓜切條；備用。

2. 在一只碗內，加入蛋、米酒、甜紅椒粉、黃薑粉和鹽；攪打至均勻。

3. 在易潔鍋內加入菜油，用大火加熱。下青瓜；炒至微軟。把火調低至中大火。下蛋液；繼續炒至蛋凝固。上桌。

Zucchini Chocolate Bread | 義大利青瓜巧克力麵包

In Summer, we always try to include zucchini in the menu since it is abundant and inexpensive.  Most of the the time we put zucchini in salad, eating it raw like cucumber with balsamic vinaigrette.  But we also enjoy sautéing it with lots of garlic as a warm salad.

This week, I tried something new, using zucchini to make this quick bread for our breakfast.  It turned out very moist and filled with cocoa aroma.  Although you will not taste any zucchini in the bread, you will still see strings of zucchini in the bread that makes you feel good about including vegetable in your breakfast.

  

INGREDIENTS:

1 Zucchini, shredded (about 2 cups)

4 Eggs, beaten

1/2 cup Milk, 2%

2 tablespoons Vanilla Extract

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Bread Flour

1 cup Brown Sugar

2 tablespoons Baking Powder

1 handful of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

2 tablespoons Poppy Seeds (optional)

pinch of Salt

材料：

1 條  義大利青瓜，刨絲 (約兩杯)

4 隻  雞蛋，打勻

1/2 杯  牛奶，2%

2 湯匙  雲呢拿香油

2 杯  全麵麵粉

1 杯  高筋麵粉

1 杯  棕糖

2 湯匙  泡打粉

少量  牛奶巧克力粒

2 湯匙  罌粟籽 (可省略)

少撮  鹽

DIRECTION 做法:

1. Pre-heat oven to 360C.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and milk.  Add shredded zucchini; mix again.

3. Sift in whole wheat flour, bread flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add poppy seeds.  Mix until the mixture becomes batter and it is well incorporated.

4. Lay parchment paper in a baking container.  Pour in the batter and slightly drop the container on the counter a few times to get rid of the air bubbles.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips.  Bake it in the oven for about 30 minutes.

To check the doneness, insert a toothpick in the middle of the bread.  If it comes out clean, the bread is ready.  Allow the bread to cool before slicing it.

1. 預熱焗爐至360F。

2. 在一只碗內，加入雞蛋、棕糖、雲呢拿香油、和牛奶；攪打至均勻。下義大利青瓜絲；拌勻。

3. 全麵粉、高筋粉、泡打粉、和鹽。下罌粟籽；拌勻至變成麵糊。

4. 焗模內舖上焗紙，把麵糊倒入。把焗模在臺面上敲打數下以去取麵糊內的氣泡。灑上巧克力粒。放入焗爐，焗若30分鐘。

要測試麵包焗好與否，可把一支牙簽插入麵包中間再取出，如沒麵漿黏著便是焗好。