Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Words & Brush Recipe Corner: Middle Eastern Lentil and Vegetable Soup

 Middle Eastern Lentil and Vegetable Soup

By Lisa Starr

www.lisa-starr.com




Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, grated
1/2 cup chopped celery leaves
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup red lentils (no need to soak)
6 cups parve chicken stock
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice

GARNISH (optional but adds wonderful flavor)
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced in rings
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander spice
2 teaspoons dried mint
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

Directions:
1: Saute chopped onion, carrot and celery leaves in 2 tablespoons oil till soft.
2: Add the lentils, stock, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes till lentils are soft.
3: Stir in the cumin and lemon juice.
4: While soup is cooking, fry sliced onion oil over medium heat till lightly golden and stir in garlic, coriander, dried mint and chilli.
5: Serve soup garnished with a spoon of fried onions in the centre of each bowl or serve as is.

COOK'S NOTES: Dried mint is not easy to find but super easy to make. A thrifty way to preserve leftover fresh mint as it's only ever sold in huge bunches. Break off leaves and place on a paper towel, cover with a second paper towel and microwave for 1 minute. Check to see if leaves are dry and return to the microwave for 30 seconds if not yet dried. Crumble between your fingers and store in a spice bottle. Great for adding to salad dressings, cheese, and fruit syrups. 



ENJOY !


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Friday, January 3, 2025

Words & Brush Weekender: Easy listening music and chat, Friday 3rd January 2025, Free Choice - all genres of music welcome

Easy listening music and chat, Friday 3rd January 2025, Free Choice - all genres of music welcome


Enjoy some good music here on Words & Brush, it's your free choice so please post any of your favorite music of all genres!

🎤🔊🎼🎹🎷🎺🎸🎻

This page was posted by Sputnik One of the Sputniks Orbit blog

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Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Ring in 2025: A New Chapter

 


 


Happy New Year!  Leaving all the stuff behind and may it be a great New Year.



 






 Ah a new hope, a new beginning.  So much confetti everywhere and the tree is still up.  A Happy New Year to you and all.  Take that break today let the day go by.  











          Did you make any resolutions?  This will be the year to finish my book and get to publishing it with illustrations. Start that new job search and make the change you are seeking.
Perhaps sleeping in before the new week and usual routine.

  Maybe be more healthy, try something new,  learn a new language or work on that project that's been simmering for years. Get a new degree or certificate for self enrichment or for a career change for the better.   Be more creative.  Lots of us don't realize we are being creative.  Not everyone specializes in just art or writing, or poetry and so forth. 










 Finish that project in progress and remember finish that piece strong whether a story, a book, an artwork or anything else that suits your creative fancy.  We might be moved in by now at our new home, and I am looking at learning how to make pasta, maybe take a cooking class how to make sushi as I would prefer a chef I can ask questions and not just watch an online class.   


Try Tai Chi, lots of great benefits with body, mind, and spirit. 













 

As winter settles in, many days just seem like the same day with the greyness and the snow, and the cold sky with barren tree branches reaching the sky.
























                Remember, this is a new year and everyone on W&B and beyond wishes you the very best year and it's a new beginning for everyone to start afresh.  Kick some old habits.