Random Recipe Wednesday: Sweet Potato Dal

Overkill can kind of ruin a thing for you.  For example, I don't think I'll ever eat another orange-pineapple sandwich cookie in my life.  We must have had those every single day on a family camping trip.  Don't get me wrong, I was obsessed with them at first, but after a 2-3 week road trip I'd had my fill of orange-pineapple sandwich cookies for life.

I almost did the same thing with this lentil and sweet potato dish.  The first time I ate a bowlful I knew I wanted the recipe.  When I was back in my own kitchen I made it so many times over the next few months that I thought I'd never swallow another spoonful.  Wrong.  It's been several years, so I decided to pull out the recipe again.  Nope, definitely not sick of this anymore.  I'm not quite as obsessed with it as I was the first go-round, but it sure hit the spot.  Fragrant and filling, a warm bowlful will leave you feeling satisfied but not overly stuffed.  Sometimes I get so lost in all things chocolate, peanut butter and baked that I forget how much I enjoy something savory from the stove-top.

Tuesday's Twist: Lemon-Basil Lentil Soup

Tuesday's Twist:  A basic recipe with a fun twist.  In other words, just another excuse for me to play around with weird recipes I've been dying to try.

Chilly winter days call for soup.  Fun bowls and spoons definitely help chase away the winter blues.  The bowl was a Christmas gift from my mom.  It was handmade for the Empty Bowls project to help fight hunger.  After a simple meal of bread and soup participants take home an empty, handcrafted bowl as a reminder of the all the hunger and empty bowls around the world.  The hand-carved wooden spoon stands up on its own and is nothing short of amazing.