Lentil "Soup" and an Argument for Gen Ed Req's *

The Recipe: lentil soup as found on the back of a Ziyad Red Lentils package.

• prep time: 40 minutes
• very healthy! Nutrition facts on bag of lentils say for 1/4 cup, there is no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium, but you get 28% of your dietary fiber! Happy pooping.
• Serves 6 supposedly

Ingredients:

2 c. Ziyad Red Lentils

8 c. water or broth

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. turmeric or paprika

1 large onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 bouillon cube of choice (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash lentils. Combine with broth and bring to a boil. Cover for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.

2. When lentils are tender, add dry spices and bouillon (optional) to the pot.

3. Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until golden brown. Then add to soup mixture.

4. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat, add lemon juice and stir. Ladle soup into bowls.

5. Garnish with parsley and paprika. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

The Scrumptious Evidence

A gluten-free glutton and her glutenous glutton sharing some dessert

My Take on the Bake

I was surprised the recipe was called lentil "soup." It was more like a stew or a mushy pot of goodness. I couldn't even see the lentils at all, just their creamy remains. And it doesn't serve 6 people - it barely served the 5 people I was with plus salad as a whole dinner. I would recommend this dish for a group of 4 diners. It was very tasty and had a nice thick and creamy texture to it. I did, however, need to add a little pepper to spice it up a bit. My step-dad, who adds hot sauce to everything, said it was good and then added hot sauce, as well as my boyfriend. I prefer mild but flavorful dishes, but if you prefer spice I would definitely add some to this dish.

Cooks should relish their General Education requirements

As for the directions, I wish a scientist had written them. Or at least someone who was required to take a laboratory course or one of Dawson's classes at Oberlin College. I know it is said that cooking is more of an art than a science, but by including directions, producers of cookbooks and products with recipes on the back insert science into the cooking process. I am trained to follow step-by-step directions, but the order of some of the steps in this recipe is confusing. For instance, in Step 2, I am told to add spices to the pot when the lentils are tender. They felt tender enough after two minutes, yet did the writers of the recipe really intend for me to add spices in the first 2 minutes of a 30 minute window? In step 3, does it matter when I add the sauteed mixture? Possibly it doesn't, but I think the cook should have specified either when to add it or to add it anytime. And in step 4, do I simmer the soup for 5 minutes and then turn the heat off, or turn the heat off as a way to let it simmer? 

When I asked my Mom some of these questions, she made a few guesses and then reminded me that the dish would probably turn out fine in the end no matter how I interpreted these directions. In conclusion, I request recipe writers to be more clear, while on the other hand I am learning to let go of my anal analyses and enjoy whatever food comes out of the kitchen

*This is actually dinner from Thursday, Jan. 6.

C-what?! Disease and my last glutenous meal.

The Disease
I bet most people don't go to college and find out that they have a life-altering disease within their first semester. Yeah, I consider myself pretty accomplished already. It all started with the subject header of an e-mail (Student Health Services is sooo advanced) saying that I probably had celiac disease. I held my breath as I opened the e-mail, but I found myself no more enlightened after reading it than when my eyes had set sight on the subject header in my inbox. I panicked for a brief minute (what the heck was celiac disease? Was I gonna die?) before I remembered that Google existed. According to Google Health, "Celiac disease is an inherited, autoimmune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats." A few months later my diagnosis was confirmed by a biopsy, and I became Wheatless Welch, eating what no Welch has eaten before *dun dun dun*

The Wheaty Goodness and Denial
Okay, I didn't particularly care for rye. Good riddance. Barley tasted good in stews, but when does a college kid ever eat stew anyway? But wheat, oh glorious carbohydrate that powered my nightly 2am study sessions and 4am weekend snacking sessions, how could I give it up? Oh Honey Nut Cheerios, oh pizza, oh Wasa crispbread, oh Triscuits, oh Ritz crackers, oh PASTA, oh PB&J sandwiches, could life go on without them? I would soon find out in a do or die experiment. At least I would have ice cream to cope. But first, to make a wonderful last meal commemorating wheaty goodness.

I decided on Monkey Bread, a favorite holiday breakfast of our family. I've been told it's called monkey bread because you have to pick it apart piece by piece to eat it, like a monkey supposedly eats. Great to keep kids occupied and make them forget about opening presents until you've finished cooking the rest of breakfast (goes well with quiche and fruit), as I've been told by my mom. It's insanely delicious! So for those glutenous folks who might read my blog, here's the recipe:

1. Cut 4 tubes of Pillsbury biscuit dough into quarters.
2. Mix cinnamon and white sugar in a ziploc bag or empty bread bag.
3. Toss several biscuit quarters at a time in the bag to coat with cinnamon and white sugar.
4. Melt 1 stick of butter and 1 cup brown sugar. Bring to boil. Add 1 tsp vanilla.
5. Put biscuits into greased bundt pan. Top with butter mixture.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes

It was so delicious this was all that was left!

The Project
Jesus once said "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God,'" - Matthew 4:4. Yes, it's possible to live sans wheat bread! Just one problem - I don't know how to cook many glutenous meals, let alone gluten-free ones. Don't worry though, I'm not your normal college-kid-turned-celiac, I'm superhero Wheatless Welch! I'm going to attack this gluten-free life head on, and even get college credit for it. For my Oberlin College 2011 Winter Term project, I will cook my family a gluten-free dinner every night for a month. Gluten-free chef, here I come!