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Bulgur, Red lentil and Butternut squash

Name: Bulgur, Red lentil and Butternut squash
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: about 3
Ingredients: 2 medium onions, chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 cup butternut squash, chopped (or other vegetable); 1/2 cup red lentils (soaked); 1/2 cup bulgur, coarse; 1/2 cup mint leaves, washed; 1/3 cup tomato sauce or 2 small tomatoes, chopped; 1/2 tsp cumin (dry, ground); 1/2 tsp coriander (dry, ground); 1/2 tsp turmeric, ground; 1/2 - 1 tbsp hot red pepper flakes (or paprika); 1 tbsp black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil; salt to taste

Last updated on December 3rd, 2017 at 08:58 am

I don’t know what to call this dish, really.

It’s not vegan paella or a risotto, it’s just a bulgur, red lentils and butternut squash dinner recipe from heaven.

One thing I know for sure: this is delicious. Like very very delicious.

And yes, I made another recipe with almost the same ingredients I used in the bulgur, lentil and spinach soup recipe. Sue me.

Or you know, try them both – you already have the ingredients anyway.

Now to be honest with you, I made this recipe a while ago. I know, I am a horrible person and I am super behind with my posts.

It was the time when butternut squash was still kinda popular…so about beginning of December last year. I told you, I am a horrible person.

Where are you going to find butternut squash now?

I don’t know.

But I know you can use frozen spinach, carrots, kale or whatever vegetable you have and love. Don’t use anything you don’t like.

There are about 576718236.6 things I love about this healthy dinner recipe. But one of my favorites is that it cooks in just one huge pan.

This means, since my dishwasher was non-existent when I made this, I could still enjoy my dinner without the fear that I will have to clean like Cinderella afterwards.

Aside from some chopping and stirring you really don’t need to do much here. You just start with some onions, garlic, spices.

Then the rest of the ingredients, you pour some sugar, ummm no, better hot water on them. Then you leave it alone at medium, medium-high maybe.

But, you still keep an eye on it and stir from time to time. You’ll be ready in about 20-30 minutes (depending how long your lentils need).

After I made this and tried it, I really couldn’t believe this thing was completely vegan. It was just sooo good.

Usually I would need some yogurt sauce with it, but this was so delicious just like that. It’s a very simple, but satiating taste.

Health and Beauty Benefits

Dreams do come true, because this quick, tasty and very plant-based dinner is also healthy.

Are you kidding me?

I am not. But I obviously am talking to myself a lot.

This dish has the perfect combination of fiber, protein, magnesium, iron, folic acid, beta carotene and a lot of other chemicals with very weird names found in plants that make us feel good and prevent disease.

The one thing that might be on the low here is vitamin C, since it disappears after being heated. But you need it, to make collagen and more importantly with this dinner recipe – to absorb the plant iron better. There’s a lot of iron here, it would be a shame if you don’t get most of it.

So make sure you drink some fresh juice, water with lemon, or just have some salad on the side.

Bulgur, Red lentil and Butternut squash

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: about 3

A delicious easy and healthy dinner that is perfect for weeknights.

Ingredients

2 medium onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup butternut squash, chopped (or other vegetable)
1/2 cup red lentils (soaked)
1/2 cup bulgur, coarse
1/2 cup mint leaves, washed
1/3 cup tomato sauce or 2 small tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin (dry, ground)
1/2 tsp coriander (dry, ground)
1/2 tsp turmeric, ground
1/2 - 1 tbsp hot red pepper flakes (or paprika)
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Instructions

In a large pan at medium-high, heat the chopped onion, minced garlic and butternut squash with 1 tbps olive oil for about 2 min, stirring.
Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, red pepper flakes, black pepper, stir.
Add tomatoes or tomato sauce, stir. Then add lentils and bulgur and 1/2 to 1 tsp salt (you might need to add more salt later).
Add 2/3 cup hot water, stir well together. Cover with lid and let cook at medium for 7-8 min. Add the mint and cook a little more - about 7-8 more minutes, until red lentils and bulgur are ready.
Take off heat and sprinkle some olive oil (about 1 tbsp). Stir again.
Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or more mint.

Notes

Instead of butternut squash - use any vegetable you love. This dinner recipe is completely vegan, but it's not gluten-free. To make gluten-free you can use rice (but it won't have all the nutrients that bulgur has).

https://www.beautybites.org/bulgur-red-lentil-butternut-squash/

Okay, so next time it will be just bulgur and spinach, so we get all those recipes done 🙂

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Grilled Veggie Pita

My favorite things in this whole world come together in this grilled veggie pita:

Grilled veggies (duh!)
Pita (double duh!)
Hummus (now we’re talking)
Tahini sauce (oh)
Tomatoes and cucumbers (alright then)
How about some greens like, I don’t know – parsley? (Ok, fine…)

This is so so so delicious. I devoured it in like a nanosecond.

In Defence Of White Bread

I know people expect me to not eat white bread, but this one’s as white as my legs are right now. Yes, it’s summer and I’ve been avoiding the sun like the plague. This year I went to the beach once after 10am and I got sunburnt.

via giphy

My wrinkles are still thanking me. No more sun for this little vampire who eats garlic for breakfast.

#garlicforbreakfast

So, white bread.

I know it’s also not popular right now, but I crave white bread sometimes. Like every day. And when I got these pitas they were hot. As experience has thought me, you never say no to hot white bread, because it’s delicious.

This is not me after eating bread (via giphy)

How To Make The Grilled Vegetable Pitas

I actually used roasted vegetables. I know, I mislead you and now you hate me forever.

5 Refreshing Detox Water Ideas, Because Drinking Coke Is Just Sad

Here are some refreshing detox water ideas, because it’s hot outside and drinking coke is not an option anyone should consider.

I don’t know how it happened.

I fell down that coke hole and could’t get out. Last month for a few weeks in the afternoon, when it got like, inhumanely hot…I was getting cokes.

Now you might be like: OMG you write this blog about healthy lifestyle and you drink coke? What a jerk.

Well, define healthy lifestyle however you want.

To me it means eating more fruits and vegetables and not obsessing over small fall offs.

Except…

I realized coke can’t be a part of a healthy diet or lifestyle in NO WAY. I can’t make excuses for it, I just fell. And then I wanted more and more and more…It got crazy.

I had seen this infographic a million times and it meant nothing to me.

5 detox water ideas because drinking coke is just sad.

via The Renegade Pharmacist

The Mindset That Will Keep You Motivated To Eat Healthy and Exercise

Raise your hand if you’ve ever said you need to eat healthier and exercise to lose weight or change something else about the way you look.

Okay, I can’t type with one hand, but yeah me too.

This is true for my mother, my sister, my friends, every woman I know. Every woman I know has something about her body she doesn’t like and has tried to change with diet or exercise. I’m no exception.

We do what we can for a week, we eat healthy, we drag ourselves to the gym, we beat ourselves up when we can’t follow “the rules” and fall off that damn wagon, then we just continue with our lives until next time. While of course still blaming ourselves we’re not perfect and obviously unable to keep it all together.

Why doing it to lose those stupid 10 pounds in one month doesn’t work.

Losing weight, improving your skin, getting toned are not real reasons to eat healthier or to exercise every day. And unfortunately being healthy isn’t it either.

You know why?

Because there are “easier” options to achieve all of those things.

Why waste all that precious time and energy to achieve something, when you can do so without much effort and time invested?

It sounds easy enough to eat better for 3 weeks and drop 10 pounds. It’s not hard…but those 3 weeks, you’ve got to get through them, right?

You know what’s easier?

Not doing it.

The truth is, today, you can always look better or lose weight even if you don’t put in the effort or change anything about your lifestyle (at least for a brief moment). Here are some options:

plastic surgery
make up
diet pills
detox teas
go to a massage instead of doing exercise
body wraps
starve yourself instead of eating in moderation

Shortcuts don’t bring lasting change, but we try anyway

I remember, when I was a kid, my mom and dad even got some ab thing that would electrocute your abdominals, so you get abs…The infomercial showed a happy couple sitting there watching TV while getting their abdominals electrocuted. Then they smiled and showed their ripped bodies.

My mom: “I seriously can’t think of a reason how this would not work???? We obviously HAVE TO buy it.”

She didn’t put it this way, but they really got this ridiculous thing. And surprise: None of us got abs. Yes, I was 9 and I also tried it.

Trust your feelings and go for them, not for numbers.

Now, if not for weight loss or changing the way you look, why else would you want to eat healthier, exercise and live a healthier life? Here’s a reason:

To change the way you feel and the way you live your life. Every. Single. Day.

Not just the way you feel in a dress 5 months from now. But how you feel today.

I talked about this here and here, but eating healthy and working out have an immediate effect on the way you feel.

Appreciating the difference in how you feel is key to staying motivated.

So even if you don’t see changes right from the first day or week, you’ll feel different. Maybe nothing major, but if you pay attention, you’ll notice a difference. This difference in how you feel is key to staying motivated. Those feelings are going to pull you toward what you want. They will make you do what you have to do every day to get to your goal. And to stay there.

It’s frustrating when you’ve been putting in effort for a week and see just one sad pound go away. That’s why you’ve been working so hard?

Peach Smoothie – 3-Ingredients and Super Delicious

Last updated on August 15th, 2018 at 04:48 am

Got some peaches and don’t know what to do with them? Make this delicious peach smoothie!

I’m so excited for this recipe, guys! Like I actually think these pics look good and also this smoothie is taking over my life right now.

I’ve ignored peaches for a while now – I thought I’m allergic to them, plus didn’t really see the point in eating peaches when there’s watermelon right there.

Poor peaches have some competition when it’s their time to shine – strawberries, watermelon, melon, so so many delicious fruits during summer!

But this summer I found a place in my heart and mouth for peaches too – turns out I’m not allergic and they’re delicious!

Yogurt’s not cool anymore, but…

I know yogurt’s not cool anymore, but I used it to make this super simple tasty peach smoothie. And you know what? It’s my favorite smoothie right now.

If you can’t eat yogurt you can still make this smoothie with some coconut cream (top part of a coconut milk can) or coconut yogurt (other vegan/paleo type of your choice).

Have not tried this with cashews or nut butters, but might work as well.

Tomato Cucumber Salad – A Special Recipe

I don’t know how many tomato cucumber salads I’ve eaten in my life, but this one’s something special. It’s full of freshness and flavor, but also low-carb, vegan, paleo and gluten-free.

So, first of all, excuse this salad for the pictures, but it was dark while I was making it. My fault completely.

Second, don’t judge a book by it’s last page and don’t judge this salad by its terrible look.

Making a tomato and cucumber salad is pretty obvious right?

You chop tomatoes, cucumbers, some onion, add olive oil, vinegar and salt and you’re ready.

This one is different. It’s not your average tomato cucumber salad – it’s special. It’s spicy, it’s fresh and it’s flavorful.

Overnight Oats With Cherries, Banana & Nuts – Quick Vegan Breakfast

Make these easy overnight oats with cherries, banana and nuts tonight and wake up to a vegan breakfast that tastes like dessert tomorrow morning! This is the perfect on the go healthy breakfast recipe.

Been a while since I made overnight oats to be honest with you.

Probably because 2 years ago I couldn’t get enough of them. I was eating those soaked oats every single day and not just for breakfast!

No, no no.

Lunch, dessert, sometimes even a quick snack.

And I didn’t get sick of them. But then…

via Giphy

Winter came and all my overnight oats eating just stopped.

And the habit faded.

This summer, it came back and I’ve got a real easy and healthy overnight oats recipe to share.

It’s creamy overnight oats with banana, cherries, peanut butter and walnuts and it tastes like dessert. But it’s healthy. I love EVERYTHING about this recipe.

Oh the cherries… I’ve been having so many delicious sweet sweet cherries.

With peanut butter & banana this is definitely not the lightest recipe, but it’s healthy, high-fibre, high-protein and will keep you full longer.

It made me feel really satisfied and I didn’t need to eat that much later. Which, I’m trying to get fitter and control my overeating habit (especially while sitting at the desk!) – so this is BINGO.

Low-Carb Vegan Tacos Exist And Here’s The Recipe

Last updated on July 28th, 2018 at 07:55 pm

These are low-carb vegan lettuce “tacos” – soy-free, gluten-free and paleo. Yes, I created a monster. Super easy, but amazingly delicious!

Okay, everyone: relax, I’m alive.

That seagull scratch did not kill me. Try your luck somewhere else you crazy monster.

He did fly away with my pizza though. Up in the sky and left me embarrassed and paranoid to lick my wounds on the ground like an animal.

This is what I deserve? This is what I deserve after I’ve been feeding your whole family for years now?

Ungrateful jerk.

Now, back to the most important question in the history of the world:

Can you be vegan and low-carb at the same time?

via giphy

Friend, I don’t know about you, but these lettuce tacos certainly are.

And they’re so easy.

You basically put stuff into your food processor and pulse like crazy.

Or like a boss. (If I see another article about someone doing something like a boss I will vomit all over the internet)

So, these vegan wraps are ALMOST raw – no cooking and no heat.

I say almost because I used tomato paste and not sun-dried tomatoes for the nut-meat. I think soaking sun-dried tomatoes would cause me a lot of pain right now. Like when would I even think of soaking (or buying) sun-dried tomatoes?

I NEED FOOD AND I NEED IT NOW!

So these low-carb vegan wraps?

Seeds + nuts + some vegetables + herbs + spices + garlic + food processor = EASY QUICK VEGAN MEAL

After solving the equation above, you put whatever you just made into a lettuce leaf and call it a lettuce taco.

« Warming Bulgur, Red Lentil And Spinach Soup

How To Not Get A Cold During Winter And Why Garlic Might Not Work »

Comments

Liana says

27th February 2017 at 6:46 pm

I added some spinach and smoked paprika as well. Loved it!

Reply
- Stella says
  
  27th February 2017 at 7:13 pm
  
  I love spinach in this as well! Have not tried the smoked paprika, but will now have to give it a try 😉 Glad you liked it & thanks a lot for stopping by and for your feedback!
  
  Reply
Elise says

4th July 2017 at 7:15 am

Looks really good! I’m gonna try this soon 🙂 always a fan of easy one-pot dishes like this! And lentils in general…
Oh but is it just me or did you maybe forget to mention the turmeric in the ingredient list? Should I also use about 1/2 tsp?

Reply
- Stella says
  
  5th July 2017 at 1:58 am
  
  Thank you for the sweet comment, Elise! Yes, it’s 1/2 tsp turmeric, ground – I find this spice mix very good in soups and one-pot dishes. Thank you for letting me know about the “typo”, will update the recipe now 🙂
  
  Reply