Crock- Pot Lentil/Pea Soup

The easiest way to have a great hot meal when you have no time due to finals.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb red lentils (ie. 1/2 of those goya bags)
1/2 lb yellow split peas (ie. 1/2 of those goya bags)
(note- you can make this entirely with peas, or entirely with lentils, or some other proportions).
1/3 cup barley (for thickening. If you dont want to buy a whole bag of barley for the recipe, dice 2 small potatoes)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 normal sized carrot, chopped (or 3 small CSA carrots)
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tsp turmeric
fresh ground black pepper
1 bay leaf- optional

rinse the peas, lentils and barley thoroughly to remove the dust that sometimes settles. This can take 2-4 rinses.

Place all ingredients in a large crock pot, fill the pot to the top with water.

Let it cook overnight on low. (or turn it on before you head off to school and come home to a great dinner).

I have never overcooked this recipe, so dont worry about leaving it on for too long so long as it has enough liquid. (I once let it cook for 24 hours).

Fennel with Lentils, Thyme & Chard

recipe inspired by a french dish in Moosewood Simple Suppers (a fantastic cookbook)

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked lentils
• 1-2 bulbs fennel, finely sliced
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• white wine vinegar
• 1 cup chopped chard- optional. Any other green, including bok choy, could work too (can use more or less, but the raw leaves should not be more than 3/4 the volume of the fennel)
  

Directions

• boil the lentils
• in a separate frying pan, saute the garlic in the olive oil
• when the garlic is slightly golden, add in the fennel and stir
• when the fennel is slightly golden (it gets a slight shade of off white darker) add in the thyme and stir.
• mix in the chopped chard
  
• leave on stove top while stirring for 3-4 more minutes or until chard is fully wilted
  
• mix the lentils
• serve with a generous drizzle of white wine vinegar

AMAZING