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Lentil-Mushroom Farmer's Pie

Serves 6.

Note: Shepherd's pie was originally named for the inclusion of ground lamb, but this one — with all the comforts of the classic intact — uses le1

ntils, so a farmer's pie it is. You can make the two components — the lentil-mushroom mixture and the cauliflower-potato topping — up to 1 week ahead of time, refrigerate them separately, and assemble and bake the night you're ready to eat. Bring to room temperature before baking, or add an extra 10 to 15 minutes of baking time. Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Adapted from "Cool Beans," by Joe Yonan.

• 1 c. (7 oz.) dried brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed

• 1 (1-lb.) head cauliflower

• 1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-in. cubes

• 1/4 c. unsalted vegan or dairy butter

• 1 tsp. ground turmeric

• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 carrots, diced

• 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, quartered

• 2 tbsp. flour

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 2 tbsp. tomato paste

• 1 c. no-salt-added vegetable broth

• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

• 1 c. frozen corn

Directions

Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the lentils and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.

While the lentils are cooking, cut the cauliflower into florets and remove the core and large stem. Set up a steamer basket over medium-high heat, add the potatoes and cauliflower and steam until very tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, add the butter, turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt and mash with a potato masher until smooth and fluffy.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Stir in the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until they start to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and exude their liquid and it mostly evaporates, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Whisk the tomato paste into the broth and stir it into the mushroom mixture, along with the cooked lentils. Stir in the vinegar and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat and stir in the corn. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Spread the cauliflower mixture on top of the lentil-mushroom mixture in the dish and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the topping starts to brown on the edges. Serve hot.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories360Fat13 gSodium460 mg

Carbohydrates51 gSaturated fat3 gTotal sugar7 g

Protein13 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber10 g

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Orecchiette With Borlotti Beans, Bitter Greens and Lemony Breadcrumbs

Serves 6.

Note: The idea for this dish comes from New Jersey chef Michelle Fuerst, who calls the combination of pasta, beans and breadcrumbs her "triple carb threat." Breadcrumbs are an essential element of so many great pasta dishes, adding that irresistible crunch that here balances the creamy borlotti (aka cranberry) beans and the al dente pasta. An unorthodox addition is a little red miso, which provides the salt and umami you'd get from, say, anchovies. Adapted from "Cool Beans," by Joe Yonan.

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 c. panko-style or other dry breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

• 1 lb. dried orecchiette or other pasta shape

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 6 c. lightly packed baby bitter greens, such as baby kale, arugula, mizuna, radicchio or a mix

• 2 c. cooked borlotti (cranberry) beans, drained and liquid reserved

• 1 tbsp. red miso

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

While the water is heating, in a medium skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small cup and stir in the lemon zest and the 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directions, until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large deep skillet with a lid, or a Dutch oven, set over medium heat, heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the greens, cover and cook, tossing occasionally, just until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover and stir in the beans. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

In a small bowl, whisk the miso with a little pasta cooking water and stir it into the bean mixture. Add the pasta, tossing and stirring it into the beans and greens. Add more of the cooking water and/or bean cooking liquid, as needed, to moisten the pasta and create a little sauce. Stir in one-third of the breadcrumbs and the pepper. Taste and add more salt, if desired.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving platter or individual shallow bowls or plates, and top with the remaining breadcrumbs. Drizzle (or squeeze) the lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve hot.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories530Fat16 gSodium180 mg

Carbohydrates82 gSaturated fat2 gTotal sugar3 g

Protein17 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber10 g

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Chocolate, Red Bean and Rose Brownies

Serves 6 to 12.

Note: These fudgy, gluten-free treats use adzuki (aka azuki) beans, beloved across Asia for their versatility in red bean paste and other sweets, to make a riff on the black-bean brownies of yore. They also employ aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas, which can substitute for eggs in vegan baking; and rose water, which takes them from everyday-American-take-to-work good to special-occasion-Middle-Eastern great. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Food-grade rose petals and rose water can be found at Middle Eastern markets or online. Adapted from "Cool Beans," by Joe Yonan (Ten Speed Press, 2020.

• 3 tbsp. (45 g) vegan or dairy butter or coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing the muffin tin

• 1/2 c. plus 1 tbsp. (50 g) chickpea flour, plus more for dusting

• 1 (15-oz./425 g) can no-salt-added adzuki beans, drained and rinsed

• 3/4 c. (70 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder

• 2/3 c. (133 g) sugar

• 2/3 c. (160 mL) aquafaba (the liquid from a shaken can of no-salt-added chickpeas)

• 1 tbsp. rose water (see Note)

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 2 tbsp. dairy-free or traditional semisweet chocolate chips, optional

• 2 tbsp. chopped walnuts or pistachios, optional

• 2 tsp. crushed dried rose petals, preferably organic, optional (see Note)

Directions

Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly grease one 6-muffin (jumbo) tin. Dust with chickpea flour and tap out the excess.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the butter, chickpea flour, adzuki beans, cocoa powder, sugar, aquafaba, rose water, baking powder, vanilla and salt, and process until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and smooth the tops with a spoon. If using, sprinkle on the chocolate chips, nuts and/or rose petals.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the muffin pan. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes before using a fork to remove the brownies from the pan. They are meant to be very fudgy inside, so don't worry if they seem too moist.

Nutrition information per each of 12 servings:

Calories140Fat4 gSodium150 mg

Carbohydrates22 gSaturated fat2 gTotal sugars12 g

Protein4 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber4 g