Hoppin' Jon

Really this dish bears no resemblance to actual Hoppin' John, which is a black-eyed pea based southern thing.  Jon saw a modified version on a television show, and asked if I could try to recreate it.  This is what I came up with.  It is one of his favourite meals.  He gets very excited when it appears on the menu plan.  I really shouls make it more often.  I still use the name (with a spelling variation) since it is so popular with Jon.

Ingredients

1 cup lentils

1 onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 pepper, chopped

1 tsp coriander

2 garlic

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

Dash hot sauce

2 cups stock

½ bag spinach

1 onion

1 tsp lime juice

Saute vegetables.  Add spices.  Cook a couple of minutes.  Add lentils and stock.  Cook for 30 min.  Add spinach, cook until tender.  Saute onion until brown.  Before serving add sauteed onion and lime juice.  Serve over grains (barley is Jon's favourite).

Loosely adapted from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

Chicken Pot Pie

Tonight was one of our favourite simple meals - a variation on chicken pot pie.  Cornbread crust and tonnes of extra veggies make me happier than traditional pot pie.  Not only is it a lot easier, but I think it tastes better too.  Healthy comfort food.  The cornbread top can be made with a mix.  I usually just sub out quinoa flour for the wheat, but you can use any type you have on hand.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 carrots
2 pieces of celery
2 small zucchini
handful of frozen peas
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/4 cup hot sauce

Brown cut-up chicken in a large saucepan.  Add chopped onion and garlic, cook until onions begin to become transparent.  Sprinkle spices.  Add carrots, celery and zucchini.

Melt butter in a small saucepan.  Add flour, cook for one minute.  Slowly add stock and hot sauce.  Cook until thickened slightly.  Add to saucepan with chicken mixture with peas.

Pour mixture into a 11x17 pan.  Top with cornbread batter.  Bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until browned.

Cornbread batter
1/4 cup butter
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup corn meal
3/4 cup flour (of any kind)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup sour cream

Cream butter, add eggs.  Mix dry ingredients.  Add to butter and eggs mixture in three parts, alternating with sour cream.  Add enough water to make a thin batter that will spread easily over the top of the pie.