Lentil Patties (Vospov Kufteh)

I am SO sorry it took so long to get this recipe up!! But trust me, it's worth the wait! This was one of my favorite meals growing up, and I finally made it all by myself this past week! It's the perfect meatless Monday meal option and pairs perfectly with a fresh salad! In Armenian, it's called "vospov kufteh," but it's essentially lentil patties with cracked wheat and spices! This is my mama's recipe and it's delicious! Hope you enjoy!

Makes about 30-40 little patties

1 cup red lentils

1/2 cup cracked wheat (bulgar #1)**

1/2 cup diced onions

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red pepper

3 T lemon juice

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

First, boil the lentils in 2 cups of water until soft and the water is almost gone. This took only about 20 mins for me! Then turn off the stove, add bulgar, and cover until bulgar gets soft and puffs up...about 20 more minutes.

While you are waiting, sauté the onions and cumin in the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a separate skillet. Once the lentils and bulgar are soft, add the olive oil mixture. Then add salt, lemon juice, parsley, and pepper.

It should come together well and if it doesn't, just add some water until it becomes almost like a dough. Then roll until little balls or patties!

I served this with a light cucumber-tomato salad, then had it again for lunch over some spinach and tomatoes! Fresh veggies are SO good with this meal!

I hope you all enjoy this recipe! Maybe try it next Monday for a yummy meatless meal!

**a note on the bulgar: my mom usually buys this for me from an Armenian market; however, I do believe places like Sprouts and Whole Foods carry it! It is probably called something like "cracked wheat fine #1." ;)

Black bean & veggie enchiladas

Well, we are finally moved in, unpacked, and settled in our new home. We are so excited to be here. God has blessed us so so much this past year, and we are excited to have a new home to enjoy with each other and with friends and family!

Last night, I cooked our first real dinner in the new house. I have been missing my kitchen so much! I whipped up a black bean and veggie enchilada recipe that was so easy and SO tasty! It was also a treat because we actually have a dining room table to eat dinner on now instead of just plopping down in front of the TV like we did in our one-bedroom apartment. Ohhhh the joys of sharing dinner and chatting about our days on an actual table! :)

Anyways, back to the food...these turned out so delicious and flavorful, so I just had to share the recipe! Enjoy!

Makes 7-8 enchiladas depending on how much you stuff 'em!

7-8 tortillas (you can use gluten free, but this is what we had on hand so I rolled with it...pun intended)

1 can black beans (I love the cuban black beans from TJ's!)

1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 T olive oil

1/2 cup diced onions (forgot to include those in the picture...sorry!)

5-6 mini bell peppers, sliced

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

3 cups spinach

1/2 cup enchilada sauce

1/4 cup salsa

1 T taco seasoning

First, gather your supplies, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat up the olive oil in a skillet and start browning the onions and peppers. Then add the mushrooms and spinach.

Once the veggies are cooked down, add the can of black beans, 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and the salsa!

Mix well, then turn the heat off.

Next, you start rolling your enchiladas! Put about 1/4 cup of the black bean and veggie filling into each tortilla, pack it tight, then place it in a greased casserole dish.

Once you are done rolling, brush the rest of the enchilada sauce on top of the enchiladas, then add the remaining shredded cheese.

Pop these bad boys into the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until the top starts to brown! Then, pull them out and enjoy with some avocado! :)

These were so easy to put together, and we had plenty left over for dinner tonight. Plus, you won't even miss the animal protein, because this meal is packed with vegetables and legumes, which provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant protein as well (yep, plants have protein too). And it was also approved by my meat-loving hubby, so it's a WIN in my book!

I hope you all enjoy this recipe and are able to try it out soon! Have a happy Tuesday! :)