The Cooking Matters group met back at Alliance on Monday for class 2. Participants discussed challenges they faced around meal planning and preparation, and learned tips of how to incorporate fruits and vegetables into every meal, and the importance of portion sizes.
Fruits and vegetables of different colors have certain nutrients that can help improve aspects of your health.
Check out this quick guide below!
Green: Powerful detoxers, fights free radicals, and improves immune system
Blue/Purple: Powerful antioxidants
White: Activates our natural killer cells and fights cancer
Red: Improves heart and blood health and supports joints
Orange: To prevent cancer and improve collagen growth
Yellow: Helps heart, vision, and digestion & immune system
Participants then headed into the kitchen to get started on this week's featured recipe, lentil vegetable chili. A great dish for the winter season!
Participants chopped and diced a range of colorful vegetables. Once prepping was finished, the ingredients were thrown into the pot and in about 30 minutes it was time to eat!
Lentil Veggie Chili
Ingredients
· 2 (14.5 oz.) cans no-salt diced tomatoes
· 1 bay leaf
· 2 (32 oz.) cartons vegetable stock
· ⅓ cup fresh chopped cilantro
· sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
· Optional toppings: sour cream, cheddar cheese, croutons, tortilla chips, avocado
· 2 Tbsp. olive oil
· 1 medium onion, chopped
· 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
· 5 cloves garlic, minced
· 4 tsp. chili powder
· 1 (16 oz.) bag of brown lentils
Directions
1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and red bell pepper (or other preferred vegetables; saute the vegetables for 8 minutes or until soft and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in garlic and chili powder; cook for 1 minute.
3. Add lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf and stock. Season with salt and ground black pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
4. Stir in cilantro and serve