A Flavorful, Cheap, and Healthy Dinner!

Why oh why did I once again forget to take a picture for everyone? Because we were all devouring dinner, that's why! It was that good.

Sure didn't take long to make. Yesterday was a fussy day for my toddler. Perhaps I'll write about that later. So when supper time came around I just didn't feel like I had a ton of energy to fuss with it. I knew what I had on hand, and I knew what I didn't want to eat. After some quick searching I decided on a lentil daal. It's basically stewed lentils well seasoned on rice. I adapted it from two different recipes and will have to make it again. Perhaps often.

Lentil Daal

1 can coconut milk
1 can or 1/4 bag cooked lentils
1-2 tbls red curry
1 tsp red pepper paste
1-2 tsp garam masala (to taste)
1 1/2" sliced minced ginger (you can sub. ground)
3/4 tsp tumeric
1/2 c diced onion
1 tsp cumin
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c fresh basil, minced
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan brown the onion ginger and garlic with the lentils. Add coconut milk and spices. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
Serve over cooked rice.

Quick fun read- for me!

I have never reviewed anything other than a picture book on this blog. Before today. Today that changes.

T slept in this morning. I mean, really slept in. So I got a little time to myself this morning after S got up. In that time I opened up a short Newbery Honor book by the author of Ella Enchanted. In retrospect I don't know why I had kept putting off reading this book. That was a huge mistake. The book was enthralling. By the time S turned the water in the shower off, I'd finished it. So yes, it's very short. But oh, was it a fun read! 

The Princess Test is a retelling/expansion of the classic fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. You actually get to know why hiding the pea was the ultimate test for a princess' sensitivity, and why it stood out that the bedraggled maiden who turned up at the palace doors turned out to be the true princess and price's perfect bride. You learn the adventures of the princess and how she even ended up at the palace utterly filthy and drenched in rain. The author's creative answers to those missing puzzle pieces make an expanded fairy tale fresh and enjoyable for adult, teen, or anyone who enjoys a good novel.

 If you only have a short amount of time on your hands, use it by reading this book. This would make a perfect nap time novel. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. I sure wasn't!