TINA KASHIAN: Thank you for inviting me as a guest in your kitchen! I love to cook all types of cuisine. I grew up in a family-owned restaurant in New Jersey. My Kebab Kitchen Mystery Series is set in a Mediterranean restaurant at the Jersey shore.
In Hummus and Homicide, Lucy Berberian is a recovering lawyer who returns to Ocean Crest, NJ and her family’s restaurant, Kebab Kitchen. Lucy doesn’t know how to cook and she has to learn from her mother. This made for some funny scenes. Lucy soon finds herself in trouble when her high school rival, the current health inspector, eats at the restaurant’s hummus bar, then dies in the parking lot. Word on the grapevine is it’s homicide, and Lucy’s the number one suspect.As for me, I have two young girls. I have been trying to limit red meat and get the girls to eat more vegetables. I went through my mother’s recipes and found one for Mediterranean lentil and swiss chard soup. My kids will not eat swiss chard, but surprisingly, if it’s incorporated into soup, they eat it and even like it. Score for the parents!
I hope you’ll stop by to learn more about my Kebab Kitchen Mystery Series at www.tinakashian.com
Swiss Chard and Lentil Soup by Tina Kashian
This Mediterranean soup is super healthy and full of fiber. The swiss chard adds flavor without overpowering the dish.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Ingredients:
½ lb dry Lentils
2 tbsp olive Oil
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 carrot chopped
1stalk celery chopped
3 cups swiss chard, washed, stemmed and chopped.
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp lemon or to taste
Put dry lentils in a bowl and check for small stones that can naturally occur.
In a soup pot, heat oil and butter. Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Stir and sauté over medium heat for 15 minutes or until onions are transparent.
Add chicken broth, water, and lentils. Simmer for ½ hour.
Add swiss chard, salt, and lemon. Simmer for another fifteen minutes or until lentils and swiss chard are tender.
Add hot water if you prefer thinner soup.
Enjoy!
Tina Kashian is an attorney and a former mechanical engineer whose love of reading for pleasure helped her get through years of academia. Tina spent her childhood summers at the Jersey shore building sandcastles, boogie boarding, and riding the boardwalk Ferris wheel. She also grew up in the restaurant business, as her Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years. Tina still lives in New Jersey with her supportive husband and two young daughters. Please visit her website at www.tinakashian.com to join her newsletter, receive delicious recipes, enter contests, and more!
You can also connect with Tina at:
Website: www.tinakashian.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TinaKashianAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TinaKashian1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinakashian/
GIVEAWAY! Please share! What’s your favorite healthy dish? I’m offering a print (U.S. only) or ebook (your choice) of Hummus and Homicide to one commenter. Thank you!
A Kebab Kitchen Mystery
When Lucy Berberian quits her Philadelphia law firm and heads home to Ocean Crest, she knows what she’s getting—the scent of funnel cake, the sight of the wooden roller coaster, and the tastes of her family’s Mediterranean restaurant. But murder wasn’t on the menu…
Things are slow in the off-season in this Jersey Shore town, but Lucy doesn’t mind. She doesn’t even mind waitressing at the Kebab Kitchen. Her parents have put in a new hummus bar, with every flavor from lemon to roasted red pepper. It’s fun to see their calico cat again, and to catch up with her old BFF, who’s married to a cop now.
She could do without Heather Banks, though. The Gucci-toting ex-cheerleader is still as nasty as she was back in high school…and unfortunately, she’s just taken over as the local health inspector. Just minutes after eating at the Kebab Kitchen—where she’s tallied up a whole list of bogus violations—she falls down dead in the street. Word on the grapevine is it’s homicide, and Lucy’s the number one suspect…
Recipes Included!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ADDHqr
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2ABPfKX
iBooks: http://apple.co/2iTLwBj
Google Books: http://bit.ly/2zzlE84
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2zGQ71K
-->
The soup sounds wonderful! I got the book as well. I love books with recipes.
ReplyDeleteHi Dee. I also love cozy mysteries with recipes and have tried quite a few. I hope you enjoy the book and the soup. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteI really do not have one special dish. I try to eat in moderation. I also like to try the new recipes.
ReplyDeleteHi Leona. We have been trying new recipes with the girls. They even like to cook some easy dishes. I've also been trying to eat in moderation and less red meat.
DeleteI love lentil soups so this will fit into my rotation nicely. For healthier dishes I am fond of vegetarian chili, Vietnamese summer rolls (lost of finely cut vegetables, herbs, and rice noodles in a rice wrapper, shrimp can be added for those who wish, served with nuoc cham), and Indonesian Gado Gado (a platter of steamed and fresh vegetables cut into crudite size and served with a peanut sauce).
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
Hello Lil. You sound like me. I've always loved lentil soup. I also like a good vegetarian chili. The Vietnamese summer rolls sound delicious! I'll have to try these.
ReplyDeleteVegetarian chili. im2early4u(at)Gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteWhat a delectable soup which I would enjoy. I make many healthy dishes and my favorite one is tilapia with kale and brussels sprouts. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI love tilapia. Also salmon. Adding kale and brussel sprouts sounds very healthy. Thank you.
DeleteThe soup sounds delightful (I'm a lentil lover, too). Being a heart patient, I look for recipes that tend to be low sodium and the only thing I might change out would be the chicken broth for low sodium chicken broth. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check out this book for my kindle... ;)
ReplyDeleteHello! Substituting low sodium chicken broth is a wonderful alternative. I hope you enjoy the book!
DeleteWe love lentil soup in our house, and this title is intriguing. Thanks for the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI didn't include my email. browninggloria at hotmail
DeleteGood to hear you like lentil soup too. My kids didn't want to try it at first because it's "brown" they said, but now they love it. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteLentil soup is wonderful especially during the fall and winter. So appetizing. Being a fish eater I love salmon and serve it with roasted veggies. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteSalmon is delicious as well. I tend to eat soup all year, even in the summer.
DeleteWe have one dish that we make as comfort food. Mijedra (as it's called in Israel) is a Middle Eastern dish. Rice and lentils and onions cooked low and slow till they are dark brown and sweet. Top that with Greek Yogurt or sour cream. YUM!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Nora! I've eaten something similar and it is delicious and very healthy. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI don't have a special dish. I try to eat a low sodium, low fat diet normally. We have recently cut out beef mostly since my DIL is allergic and are now cooking only turkey and pork at home (but hamburgers are ok on my own). She's also allergic to tomatoes and that's a hard one to cook without.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com
Hi Linda. I have friends who have food allergies and they cook mostly at home now. I do think it's healthier. We still like to eat out, but I still like cooking best.
DeleteThis sounds like a tasty soup and a great new series! My favorite healthy dish is homemade chicken stir fry. I don’t use oil - I cook it with mixed veggies and a little Worcestershire sauce and onion salt for flavoring and serve with steamed rice.
ReplyDeleteHomemade chicken stir fry sounds good. We cook something similar with olive oil and some soy sauce. Always a favorite.
DeleteWelcome to MLK, Tina! I'm a fellow Jersey girl (Summit) although I now live in Michigan. I, too, spent many happy summer days at the Jersey shore.
ReplyDeleteHi Peg! Yay, another Jersey girl at heart. We still go to the Jersey shore every summer. My kids love it and have a soccer tournament on the beach. Always a good family day.
DeleteMe too, Jersey girl! love reading about the Jersey shore in your book, Tina:)
DeleteWelcome, Tina! Such a delight to meet you last week at Malice Domestic, on the "Tasty Bites of Murder" panel. I think this might be a great recipe for sneaking more veggies into a few adults I know as well!
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie! It was great meeting you in person at Malice and on the panel. I had a wonderful time. I hope you enjoy the recipe, too.
DeleteMy favorite healthy dish is black beans. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteGood choice! Beans and lentils are all healthy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great combination:lentils and chard.
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
Thank you, Libby.
Deletedon't have a special dish, my mom would make vegetable soup and put everything in the garden in it and then some. would love to read your book
ReplyDeletegreeneyes2755@yahoo.com
We have a garden in the summer and the vegetables taste great in soups, raw, or on the grill.
DeleteI love making a chicken stew with veggies and rice. That recipe sounds really good. I love finding books I haven't read. Your storyline and cover has me wanting to read your book.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Penny. I hope you like the book and the recipes.
DeleteHi Penny! You're the winner of the book. Print (U.S. only) or ebook. Your choice. Please email me at tina@tinakashian.com to claim your prize. Thank you!
DeleteTofu vegetable stir fry - black mushrooms, wood's ear, carrots, snow peas, celery and onions.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
When it comes to hearty dishes, my family enjoys a bowl of beef stew or chicken orzo soup. Also a bowl of chili is amazing too. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteVegetables soup is always delicious. Also filling, yum.donamaekutska7@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteYes, vegetable soup is something I like to make as well. You can put almost any vegetable in it. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteI enjoy a good vegetable soup. Great for winter days or just when you want something healthy. mcastor07@gmail.com
ReplyDeletesoup sounds awesome! jcook22@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHi Melissa! I agree. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteI really like roasted vegetables, especially brussel sprouts.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi Dianne. Roasted brussel sprouts are the best. I use olive oil and spices, then roast them. They are delicious.
DeleteI do a shrimp pasta dish with whole wheat pasta! Yum!!! Been doing culinary cozies since my first Diane Mott Davidson in 1997!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am a soup lover. I adore lentil soup!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to try this soup... Vegan of course ;)
ReplyDeletePretty much all of my dishes are healthy being Vegan... except my sweets! Healthier than regular but still a sweet, lol! We really like to make Tempura veggies with coconut cream, homemade Falafel, Roasted Vegetable Tamales, Asparagus Vesuvio, Veggie Bean soup, Whole grain Veggie Pierogi, Lentil Sloppy Joe, Lentil Taco, Butternut Squash Hummus... there is soooo much!
Cheers~
Kelly Braun
Thanks for sharing the recipe for Swiss chard and lentil soup !
ReplyDeleteIt looks delicious !
Grilled chicken salad with hot poppy seed dressing and
Chickpea and Roasted red pepper burgers.
Best of success with your books !
bakingcookies32(at)gmail(dot)com
I have lentils and this would make a great meal with crackers and cheese...thank you for the giveaway and if I should win ebook please.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com