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Green Bean Casserole

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green bean casserole

Green Bean Casserole

Without any sort of a plan when on the Daniel Fast, you can easily get overwhelmed by the food guidelines. Some people, for the sake of simplicity, resort to eating the same foods over and over again. That's one of the reasons I wrote my book, The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast. I wanted not only to provide spiritual encouragement and guidance for the fast but also to equip people with great-tasting recipes. My book and website contain hundreds of dishes that many people choose to enjoy even when they're not on the Daniel Fast! In this recipe, brown rice is combined with lentils, which forms a complete protein (all the essential amino acids are present in the proper amounts). It's important to choose dishes such as this one to ensure you're taking in adequate amounts of this necessary nutrient.
4.89 from 9 votes
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 4 cups water, divided
  • ½ cup lentils, rinsed and sorted
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cooked rice, cooked lentils, green beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, and salt. Stir well, and then transfer to a a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Bake 30 minutes.
  • Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Notes

  • If using fresh green beans, steam or boil them for 15 to 20 minutes before baking.

Blackened Lentils and Onions

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blackened lentils and onions

Blackened Lentils and Onions

One question that I'm frequently asked is, "Will I get enough protein while on the Daniel Fast?" The answer is yes, you will. However, you need to make sure you include a variety of high-protein foods, such as beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible get adequate amounts of this necessary building block without consuming meat or animal products.
One excellent source of protein you should consume is featured in today's recipe. Allow me to introduce a tiny little legume called the lentil. Lentils have the third-highest level of protein (nearly 30%), by weight, of any plant-based food, after soybeans and hemp. They are small in size but mighty in nutrition. Lentils also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B1, and minerals. Red (or pink) lentils contain a lower concentration of fiber than green lentils (11% rather than 31%). Lentils are often mixed with grains, such as rice, which results in a complete protein dish.
Following are additional benefits to eating lentils:
1. Promotes heart health. Studies have found that people who eat high-fiber legumes like lentils have a much reduced risk of heart disease.
2. Loaded with iron, especially good for people who don't eat red meat, like vegans and vegetarians.
3. Lowers cholesterol due to high levels of fiber.
4. Provides steady, slow-burning energy and helps to balance blood sugar levels (good for people with diabetes).
5. Rich source of B vitamins, most notably folate and niacin (B3), which are important for the healthy functioning of the nervous, digestive, and immune systems.
4 from 5 votes
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup dry green or brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons Creole Seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup sliced onion sliced pole-to-pole (see Recipe Notes)
  • 3 cups cooked brown rice, optional (1/2 cup per serving)

Instructions
 

  • Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup)
  • Place water and lentils in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and lower heat. Stir in Creole Seasoning. Cover, and simmer with lid tilted for 40-45 minutes or until lentils are softened and nearly all liquid has been absorbed.
  • While lentils are cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, and cook 20-25 minutes or until slightly blackened and crispy, stirring occasionally. Set aside until lentils are done cooking.
  • To serve, place lentils on a plate alone or with brown rice. Top each serving with 1 heaping tablespoon of onions.

Notes

  • To sort lentils, place them in a single layer on an 11 x 17-inch baking sheet. Look for discolored and misshapen beans, and discard any unwanted debris. Place good lentils into a colander and rinse thoroughly using cold water.
  • To slice an onion pole to pole, or into half rings, think of the onion as a globe. Trim root end (South Pole) and stem end (North Pole). Peel off outer layers. Cut onion in half from North pole to South pole, making a series of vertical slices perpendicular to the equator of the onion.
  • Top with diced tomatoes, Homemade Salsa, or chopped avocado.
  • Use Taco Seasoning instead of Creole Seasoning.
  • Serve with "Refried" Beans.

 

Lentil Spinach “Meatballs”

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lentil-spinach meatballs

Lentil-Spinach "Meatballs"

Whenever I do the Daniel Fast, I typically make at least one batch of these plant-based meatballs. The beautiful green pigmentation you see is from the spinach, which contains chlorophyll (rich in vitamins A, C, K, and E). Also, the lentils and walnuts add a nice amount of protein, making this dish one that's full of nutrients your body needs.
3.17 from 12 votes
Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup dry lentils, sorted and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth or water see Recipe Notes
  • 1/2 cup diced onion, divided
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped white button mushrooms
  • 1/2 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
  • 1/2 cup brown rice flour or oat flour see Recipe Notes
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Place lentils and broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat, and add 1/4 cup onions and garlic. Cover, and simmer with lid tilted for 45 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While lentils cook, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add remaining 1/4 cup onions, mushrooms, and spinach. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.
  • When lentils are done cooking, drain and stir into onion-mushroom-spinach mixture. Add oat flour, walnuts, flaxseed meal, basil, parsley, garlic powder, and salt. Stir well. Transfer to a food processor or blender and process 10-15 seconds or until smooth. Form mixture into balls (about 2 tablespoons per ball) and place on an 11 by 17-inch baking dish that has been rubbed with olive oil. Bake 30 minutes.
  • Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 meatballs)

Video

Notes

  • To sort lentils, spread them in a single layer on an 11 x 17-inch baking sheet. Look for discolored or misshapen beans, and discard any unwanted debris. Place good lentils into a colander and rise thoroughly with warm water.
  • Make your own oat flour by placing old-fashioned rolled oats in a food processor or blender and process until fine (1 cup old-fashioned oats will yield about 3/4 cup ground oats).
  • Serve alone as an appetizer or as part of a main dish.
  • Make a Daniel Fast spaghetti and meatballs dish by topping with Classic Tomato Sauce and brown rice, spaghetti squash, or whole grain pasta.
  • If you don’t have time to make your own vegetable broth, you can use a store-brought brand that’s Daniel Fast friendly. I recommend Kitchen Basics Unsalted Vegetable Stock.

 

Cinnamon-Cumin Lentil Soup

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Cinnamon-Cumin Lentil Soup

 

Cinnamon-Cumin Lentil Soup

4.72 from 7 votes
Print Recipe
Course Soup
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups Vegetable Broth or water see Recipe Notes
  • 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and sorted
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
  • 1/2 cup diced carrots
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Bring broth or water to a boil. Add lentils, chickpeas, carrots, onions, cinnamon, cumin, and salt. Reduce heat, and simmer gently with lid tilted for 30 minutes or until lentils are softened.
  • Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Notes