Apparently, lentils and bananas are combined more commonly than we think.

I came upon a Banana-Lentil Salad recipe while browsing Nuevo Latino: Recipes that Celebrate the New Latin-American Cuisine by Douglas Rodriguez, a James Beard award-winning chef. His salad trails back to the Spanish Canary Islands.

In Mexico, as well as in other Latin American and Caribbean countries, lentejas y platanos (lentils and plantains) are frequently eaten as a soup usually stewed with pork. And, in places like Puebla, Mexico, pineapple is also added to the mix, according to The Art of Mexican Cooking by renowned cookbook author Diana Kennedy, who links the savory/sweet combo to Moorish Spain. The combination can also be traced to some African recipes.

This salad recipe, however, is my version of lentejas and platanos. It’s loosely inspired by Rodriguez and traditional lentejas recipes.

If you’re leary about the lentil/plantain combo – have the salad without the plantains, it’s still plenty flavorful and healthy. However, you’re on notice that it’s those platanos fritos (fried plantains) that makes this salad special.

The caramelized plantains have sweet, tender insides that are also a tad bit tangy and a perfect contrast to the crunchiness of peppers, onion and celery, and the nuttiness of wild rice and lentils.

It’s an unusual twist that’s not so unusual.

Tidbits on Lentils:

1. Before cooking lentils, be sure to sort the legumes to remove any debris such as dirt and stones. Then rinse well in a colander and drain. It is not necessary to pre-soak lentils before cooking.
2. Store unused lentils in an airtight container in a cool, dry location for up to one year.
3. Lentils are high in soluble fiber and recommended for people with diabetes and cholestoral problems.

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This post is my introduction to quinoa. It’s a little out of the ordinary because SAME Café is out of the ordinary . . .

It’s a sunny winter day in Denver, still several minutes before the doors open at SAME Café and there’s a line of people forming outside on this East Colfax sidewalk. The group is a mix of sorts – several in tattered clothes, others in suits, and a few hip folks with piercings and tattoos. They are here for lunch. This, however, is no regular café.

SAME is short for “So All May Eat” and the unusual mode of business here is that people pay what they want. Yeah, that’s right, there’s no set menu price. And, for folks who can’t pay, they can work in exchange. There’s no cash register, just a donation box where people pay what they feel their meal was worth. And, if a person can, leave a little more to help out someone less fortunate.

The nonprofit has been open for three years. In 2009, SAME served over 18,500 meals; since it opened – almost 35,000 meals. It is not a soup kitchen. It’s a communal concept based on dignity with good food at its core. A typical menu looks something like this:  Zuppa Tuscana Soup, Beer Cheese Soup, Chicken Salad, Golden Sunshine Quinoa Salad, Sausage & Mushroom Pizza, Apple Walnut & Bleu Cheese Pizza, and cookies. The menu changes daily and focuses on seasonal ingredients with vegetarian options always offered in the daily menu of soups, salads and pizzas.

This month SAME Café was recognized with the Channel 7 Everyday Hero Award and also an impressive MSN Hometown Heroes Award, an online viewer voting contest connected to their NBC Nightly News segment with Brian Williams (watch the video).

SAME is the brainchild of Brad and Libby Birky who were concerned about the hunger issue here in Denver. The two work full-time at the café, along with one part-time employee and the many volunteers who help with meal preparation, cleaning and numerous miscellaneous tasks.

Notably, Libby is also the “Salad Queen” and she generously allowed me to come observe her in action as she prepared the quinoa salad. Her recipe is below with my measurements/ratios (she made a gargantuan bowlful; the recipe is adjusted for a smaller quantity). The salad is refreshing with the citrus-based dressing, fresh parsley and sweet raisins. For those unfamiliar with quinoa salads, this version is tabouleh-esque.

How to Support SAME:

2010 is off to a busy start at SAME. The economic downturn is one reason, as is the season – when the temperatures drop the café sees more people in need of a warm meal. Here’s how you can support their mission:

• Go in to eat. The food is lovely, particularly the salads and soups!
• Email them about volunteering
• Make a donation, financial or in-kind (see their wish list in their weekly blog)
• Spread the word (share this post with friends and colleagues – see the green icon below). Their meal count helps their funding prospects.

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Sometimes cooking and eating should be simple – allowing fresh, seasonal ingredients to stand on their own without a belabored process. That’s what this recipe is about. And, also that I’m craving lighter, raw food the past few days.

It’s pear season and, like most of you, I enjoy eating pears as a healthy snack – whole. However, pears are also a tasty addition to a mixed green salad during the fall and winter months.

This time of year there is a good selection of pears at the market, most common varieties in the United States are Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou, Comice and Asian/Nashi. For this salad, I opted for Comice because they are creamy, juicy and sweet when eaten raw, a nice contrast to the other ingredients that make up this salad:  peppery arugula and mixed greens, creamy shaved manchego cheese, walnuts and balsamic dressing.

This is a satisfying salad either as a full meal or as a side paired with a warm bowl of soup. Last year, this salad was a hit at Thanksgiving.

Tidbits on Pears:

1. Pears were cultivated over 4,000 years ago and are believed to have originated in the Caucasus region from where they spread west to Europe and east to Asia.
2. The fruit can be generally categorized as European pears and Asian pears – European are eaten ripe and soft after harvest, while Asian pears are eaten more crisp like an apple.
3. Pears are picked and shipped unripe because of their fragile nature. Buy them a few days before you want to eat them, selecting ones without blemishes or bruises. Allowing them time to ripen at room temperature improves their texture and flavor. If you are not ready to eat or use soon, store in the refrigerator.

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