dinner

I am a huge believer in family dinner. For the obvious reasons of bringing the family together and talking and having that intimate time together without distractions but I also believe in the importance of well cooked dinners. Made with as many fresh ingredients as possible, made from scratch, full of flavor and smell. Harmony and peace and love abound in a house where dinner is being cooked and served. I love when my kids say "mmmmm, smells good, what's for dinner?" I also really enjoy cooking and baking, it is one of my hobbies. I think it would be awesome to be a chef in a restaurant, a good restaurant. I took some cooking classes while in Italy and it was so fun, I've thought about doing it here but haven't found one that really strikes my interest. I need to just do it because I love when friends teach me a new recipe and we cook together. So on that note, I think I might occasionally post some of our favorite recipe's around here. Sometimes when I cook, I think, "I should post this to my blog, it is so good", but then I worry that we might have different taste....
My kids love this recipe. I try to plan the week out so that a lighter meal follows a night of a heavier meal and I try to have a night or two that is meatless. Tonight was meatless.
Lentils with Spinach over Rice:
3/4 c lentils
1 cup water or so (that is another reason I don't post, I don't really measure)
3 T olive oil
clove of garlic
1 can tomato, or fresh ones chopped
1/2 a lemon juiced or some squirts of lemon juice (see, I'm bad measuring)
2 handfuls of spinach, I always end up adding more after it wilts
1.5 tsp salt

bring lentils and H2O to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in O.O, garlic minced, tomatoes and salt cover and simmer 10-15 minutes. Start cooking your rice, I prefer mine cooked on the stove, my rice cooker hardly ever made rice just right. Add spinach and lemon juice. Simmer while the spinach wilts and serve over rice or pasta.

Let me know if you try it, if you've never had lentils you'll be surprised at how tasty they actually are.


While I'm at it, can I also add the importance of a good breakfast for your kids? Since diabetes education, I've learned that cold cereal isn't the best way to start your day. I'll throw in a breakfast recipe we enjoy once in a while as well. But don't get me wrong, we do have cereal, it just isn't the first option and it isn't colorful.