Portobello & Lentils with Pesto

I've been wanting to do a lentil and pesto recipe for a few weeks now, but today the inspiration came in the form of some excellent portobello mushrooms that couldn't wait another day to be used. This was incredibly easy and fast to prepare and so full of flavor! Plus, an elegant vegetarian or vegan appetizer (depending on the pesto you use) that is fairly low fat and protein-packed.

I used Trader Joe's pesto (contains cheese) and Trader Joe's Cooked Black Lentils for this dish. All I did was peel and slice the portobellos and saute them with a little oil, garlic, salt, pepper and a few drops of balsamic vinegar. It's hard not to resist just eating them out of the pan! I then added the lentils and a little pesto to the pan and gently combined. Served on a slice of fresh French baguette with a little basil leaf from the garden and voila!

Borscht

As the weather cools and those heavy-meal holidays approach, my mind naturally turns to soups that make a complete meal. I crave simplicity, lots of healthy vitamin-filled vegetables, comfort and heartiness, in a way that won't weigh me down. This beautiful Borscht - a soup of beets, potatoes, and red cabbage - is such a stunning dish! And, it's few ingredients are packed with goodness. Beets are a great source of Vitamin C and full of antioxidants and along with red cabbage are great detox support foods. A little potato makes this soup a satisfying yet low-cal meal.

Borscht:

1 TBS vegetable oil

1/2 onion, peeled and diced

3 medium beets, peeled and diced

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1/2 red cabbage, chopped

3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup water

sea salt to taste

apple cider vinegar to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan and saute the onion for 5 minutes. Add the beets, cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Add the potato and some salt and cook for 3 minutes. Add the red cabbage and cook for 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil (uncovered). Turn down to a low simmer and cook until beets and potatoes are just tender (10-15 minutes). Adjust salt and add apple cider vinegar as desired (I used 2-3 tsp).

The Food Lover's Companion says Borscht "should always be garnished with a dollop of sour cream". It does add a wonderful creamy contrast, but I skipped it this time. Either way, this is a dish your body will love you for enjoying.