Red Lentil and Spinach Soup from Leslie Budewitz

LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  Here in the Kitchen, we love soup! (In fact, we celebrated it last month when we gathered Around the Kitchen Table and talked about some of our favorites.)

This soup is full of flavor and all the goodness (and vitamins!) of fall vegetables. It’s thick and comforting, and just what the body needs in winter. We loved the chunky texture of soft lentils and veggies, though if you prefer a creamier soup, use a blender or immersion blender before adding the spinach. And it’s great for vegetarians, vegans, and those who eat gluten-free. 

Like most of us, I suspect, I don’t usually make my own vegetable stock, buying it in cartons. Those tend to be 32 ounces or 4 cups, so for this, I used one carton and 2 cups of water, not wanting to leave half a box in the fridge. With so many veggies in the mix, I didn’t think we lost any flavor through the substitution. 

In my Spice Shop mysteries, Pepper often says smoked paprika may be her favorite spice, “but don’t tell the others.” The generous amount used here adds to the lovely red color of the lentils, and gives a smoky flavor I love. If you’re worried about heat, make sure you’re using smoked sweet paprika; the amount of cumin is enough for flavor without heat. 

The lemon adds a bit of brightness, but be careful, as it can quickly overwhelm other flavors. A few drops in each bowl is plenty. The zest is a delight. 

Serve with cheesy bread and enjoy!

PS: I finally figured out how to embed a PDF of the recipe for easy printing. 

Scroll down to the 💕 for the link. 

Red Lentil and Spinach Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon grated ginger, fresh or jarred

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery (2 stalks) 

1 cup diced carrot (about 2 carrots, depending on size)

1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 1/4 cup diced white or yellow potato (roughly one large)

1 1/2 cups red lentils

6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

4 cups baby spinach

1 lemon zested and cut into wedges

In a stock pot, over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and ginger and saute 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant, but stopping before the garlic changes color. 

Add the onion and celery and sauté an additional 4-5 minutes, until the onions become translucent. 

Add carrots, paprika, cumin, and salt. Stir well and sauté another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the potatoes and lentils, and stir well to coat with the spices. 

Pour in 4 cups of stock. Bring to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until lentils and potatoes are soft. 

Add spinach and remaining 2 cups stock (or water). Cover and cook until spinach is wilted, 3 - 5 minutes. Taste and add additional salt if needed. 

Spoon into bowls. Add a quick squeeze of lemon and top with about ½ teaspoon of lemon zest.  

Serves 6. 

Is it soup weather in your neck of the woods? What are your favorites? 

💕 Click here for a free printable PDF! 

At Seattle Spice Shop, owner Pepper Reece has whipped up the perfect blend of food, friends, and flavor. But the sweet smell of success can be hazardous . . .  

Spring is in full bloom in Pike Place Market, where Pepper is celebrating lavender’s culinary uses and planning a festival she hopes will become an annual event. When her friend Lavender Liz offers to share tips for promoting the much-loved—and occasionally maligned—herb, Pepper makes a trek to the charming town of Salmon Falls. But someone has badly damaged Liz’s greenhouse, throwing a wrench in the feisty grower’s plans for expansion. Suspicions quickly focus on an employee who’s taken to the hills. 

Then Liz is found dead among her precious plants, stabbed by a pruning knife. In Salmon Falls, there’s one in every pocket. 

Pepper digs in, untangling the tensions between Liz and a local restaurateur with eyes on a picturesque but neglected farm, a jealous ex-boyfriend determined to profit from Liz’s success, and a local growers’ cooperative. She’s also hot on the scent of a trail of her own, sniffing out the history of her sweet dog, Arf. 

As Pepper’s questions threaten to unearth secrets others desperately want to keep buried, danger creeps closer to her and those she loves. Can Pepper root out the killer, before someone nips her in the bud?

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

ALL GOD'S SPARROWS AND OTHER STORIES: A STAGECOACH MARY FIELDS COLLECTION, now available in in paperback and ebook 

Take a step back in time with All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection of historical short mysteries, featuring the Agatha-Award winning "All God's Sparrows" and other stories imagining the life of real-life historical figure Mary Fields, born into slavery in 1832, during the last thirty years of her life, in Montana. Out September 17, 2024 from Beyond the Page Publishing.  

“Finely researched and richly detailed, All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories is a wonderful collection. I loved learning about this fascinating woman . . . and what a character she is! Kudos to Leslie Budewitz for bringing her to life so vividly.” —Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of Crow Mary

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Spice Shop Mysteries set in Seattle's Pike Place Market, and the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, set in NW Montana. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody, standalone suspense, most recently Blind Faith. She is the winner of Agatha Awards in three categories: Best Nonfiction (2011), Best First Novel (2013), and Best Short Story (2018). Her latest books are To Err is Cumin, the 8th Spice Shop Mystery and All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection, in September 2024. Watch for Lavender Lies Bleeding, the 9th Spice Shop Mystery, on July 15, 2025.

A past president of Sisters in Crime and former national board member of Mystery Writers of America, Leslie lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine. 

Swing by Leslie's website and join the mailing list for her seasonal newsletter. And join her on Facebook where she shares book news and giveaways from her writer friends, and talks about food, mysteries, and the things that inspire her.

Roasted Cauliflower with Walnuts, Capers, and Pasta #recipe from Molly MacRae

 

Roasted cauliflower is so much more interesting than steamed. Mix it with minced garlic and pasta, add tasty extras like toasted walnuts, salty capers, grated Parmesan, and bright lemon zest and juice, and you have a delicious meal.

My pictures of this dish don’t exactly match the title. But that just shows how versatile the recipe is. When I made it, I only had 1 pound of cauliflower on hand and the recipe calls for 2. No problem. I chopped up a big wedge of cabbage and a couple of big carrots to make up for the missing cauliflower. They added color and even more flavor.

You’ll find a free, downloadable, printable pdf of the recipe below the cooking directions. 

Roasted Cauliflower with Walnuts, Capers, and Pasta 

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

2 pounds cauliflower, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (Only have 1 pound of cauliflower? No worries. Make up for the missing cauliflower with a combination of other vegetables – cabbage, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onions, etc. Chop your substitutes into 1/2-inch pieces.

Salt and pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons capers

1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

12 ounces rotini or other pasta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets (and other vegetables if using) with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Roast until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown and caramelize, 20 to 30 minutes (possibly more).

Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pasta and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic, capers, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

When the vegetables are roasted, add them to the skillet with the garlic mixture along with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and the remaining tablespoon of oil.

Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss everything to combine. Taste and season with more lemon juice if desired. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan, the parsley, and the walnuts. Serve.

 

click here for a free, downloadable, printable pdf of this recipe

 

 

Out now!

All Shell Breaks Loose

Book 3 in the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries! 

On North Carolina’s Ocracoke Island, Maureen Nash sells exquisite seashells to locals and tourists—with Bonny the shop cat and the ghost of a Welsh pirate for company. And when needed, she steps in to help the police solve a murder . . .

Dr. Irving Allred is boasting around town that he’s about to get his hands on an authentic haunted sword. But minutes after Maureen hears the story, a woman walks into the Moon Shell, sword in hand. She found it while walking her bulldog on the beach—and its blade is stained with what looks like blood. Looks like it’s time to call the sheriff’s department.

Allred is furious that his prize is now in police custody—and even more agitated that an unknown buyer was trying to outbid him. He’s convinced the sword will lead him straight to the ghosts he’s been hunting. He’s not the only one on the Outer Banks who’s been searching for spirits, though. An odd visitor also showed up at Maureen’s shop claiming the ability to sense them . . . though somehow she didn’t seem to notice Maureen’s spectral friend hanging about.

When a man who’d been camping nearby is found cut down along the shore, Maureen starts providing some unofficial assistance to Captain Rob Tate by digging into the island’s maritime history. But it’s not the only mystery she’s facing—because the shop’s resident ghost is seeing ghosts himself . . . 

Writing as Margaret Welch

Happy reading! 

The Boston Globe says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” She’s the author of the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries, the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. As Margaret Welch, she writes books for Annie’s Fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and she’s a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest and connect with her on Instagram or Bluesky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curried Sweet Potato Pasties from Molly MacRae

 

I ate my first pasty (pronounced with a short a as in cat) in Cornwall in 1975. So good! Pasties are sturdy meat and potato hand pies and the traditional lunch for Cornish miners. They’re now considered the national dish of Cornwall and, since 2011, the name is fiercely guarded. To earn the name Cornish pasty, it must be made in Cornwall, and made of beef, potato, rutabaga, onion, salt, and pepper. No other meat allowed and no other vegetables or seasonings. The ingredients must be raw when tucked into their shortcrust pastry and the pasty baked slowly to develop the traditional flavor and flaky crust. Again, so good!

My recipe for curried sweet potato pasties breaks all the rules. I should probably call them hand pies but I came up with the recipe to fill a hole in our lives when my family became vegetarian, and well before 2011. By no stretch do these pasties taste like Cornish pasties. But, with apologies to Cornwall, they are so, so, so good.

Notes:

Because vegetables vary so much in size, my proportions are somewhat approximate. I often end up with more filling than will fit into my crusts. In that case I freeze the extra for another time.

If you don’t like the flavor of curry, leave it out. 

You’ll find a free, downloadable, printable pdf of the recipe below the cooking directions.

 

Curried Sweet Potato Pasties

 

Ingredients

Pie crust for 3 single shell pies

1/4 cup minced onion

2 tablespoons oil or butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/4  tsp black pepper

1/4  tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp white pepper

1 Tb curry powder

1/2 to 3/4 cup water

vegetable bouillon concentrate or a cube for making 1 cup bouillon (but keep it as concentrate or cube)

1 medium sweet potato cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 parsnips cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium white potato cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup raisins

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, sauté the minced onion in oil (or butter) until beginning to brown. Mix in the seasonings, including the bouillon concentrate or cube. Stir in the flour. Gradually add the water to make a thick sauce. Remove from heat.

Add the chopped vegetables and raisins to the sauce and stir to coat.

Divide the crust into 6 or 8 balls (I make 8 so each of us can have a leftover pasty for lunch the next day). Roll each ball into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Divide the filling between the circles, placing in a line down the center of the circle. Bring the dough up over the filling and crimp the edges together to seal.

Bake the pasties on a rimmed cookie sheet for 30 to 45 minutes, until the crust is beginning to turn golden.

Cool slightly before eating.

 

click here for a free, downloadable, printable pdf of this recipe

 

 Out now!

All Shell Breaks Loose

Book 3 in the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries!

 

On North Carolina’s Ocracoke Island, Maureen Nash sells exquisite seashells to locals and tourists—with Bonny the shop cat and the ghost of a Welsh pirate for company. And when needed, she steps in to help the police solve a murder . . .

Dr. Irving Allred is boasting around town that he’s about to get his hands on an authentic haunted sword. But minutes after Maureen hears the story, a woman walks into the Moon Shell, sword in hand. She found it while walking her bulldog on the beach—and its blade is stained with what looks like blood. Looks like it’s time to call the sheriff’s department.

Allred is furious that his prize is now in police custody—and even more agitated that an unknown buyer was trying to outbid him. He’s convinced the sword will lead him straight to the ghosts he’s been hunting. He’s not the only one on the Outer Banks who’s been searching for spirits, though. An odd visitor also showed up at Maureen’s shop claiming the ability to sense them . . . though somehow she didn’t seem to notice Maureen’s spectral friend hanging about.

When a man who’d been camping nearby is found cut down along the shore, Maureen starts providing some unofficial assistance to Captain Rob Tate by digging into the island’s maritime history. But it’s not the only mystery she’s facing—because the shop’s resident ghost is seeing ghosts himself . . .

 

Writing as Margaret Welch

 Happy reading!

 

The Boston Globe says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” She’s the author of the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries, the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. As Margaret Welch, she writes books for Annie’s Fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and she’s a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest and connect with her on Instagram or Bluesky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Potato, Poblano, and Black Bean Tacos #recipe from Molly MacRae

  

Satisfying! These vegetarian tacos please even the meat-lovers in my family. The combination of sweet potatoes, poblanos, and black beans roasted together with the savory seasonings is a winner. Topping the tacos with fresh cilantro, ripe avocado, and the quick-pickled onions takes them to the next level. 

You’ll find a free, downloadable, printable pdf of the recipe below the cooking directions.

Sweet Potato, Poblano, and Black Bean Tacos

Adapted from The Complete Diabetes Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients for the pickled onions

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 red onion, halved and sliced thin

Ingredients for the roasted vegetables

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into strips 1/2-inch wide

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

10 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed

1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

 

Directions for the pickled onions

Microwave vinegar and pepper flakes in a medium bowl until steaming, about 2 minutes. Stir in the prepared onion and let sit until ready to serve.

Directions for the roasted vegetables

Adjust your oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and the heat oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add the potatoes and poblanos to the oil mixture and toss to coat.

Spread the vegetable mixture in even layers on the lined baking sheets. Roast until tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes, stirring the vegetables and rotating the sheets halfway through baking.

Assembling your tacos

Return the roasted vegetables to the now empty bowl, add the rinsed black beans and cilantro, and gently toss to combine. Divide the vegetables among the warmed tortillas and top with the avocado and pickled onions. Serve.

 

click here for a free, downloadable, printable pdf of this recipe

 

 

Out now!

All Shell Breaks Loose

Book 3 in the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries!

 

On North Carolina’s Ocracoke Island, Maureen Nash sells exquisite seashells to locals and tourists—with Bonny the shop cat and the ghost of a Welsh pirate for company. And when needed, she steps in to help the police solve a murder . . .

Dr. Irving Allred is boasting around town that he’s about to get his hands on an authentic haunted sword. But minutes after Maureen hears the story, a woman walks into the Moon Shell, sword in hand. She found it while walking her bulldog on the beach—and its blade is stained with what looks like blood. Looks like it’s time to call the sheriff’s department.

Allred is furious that his prize is now in police custody—and even more agitated that an unknown buyer was trying to outbid him. He’s convinced the sword will lead him straight to the ghosts he’s been hunting. He’s not the only one on the Outer Banks who’s been searching for spirits, though. An odd visitor also showed up at Maureen’s shop claiming the ability to sense them . . . though somehow she didn’t seem to notice Maureen’s spectral friend hanging about.

When a man who’d been camping nearby is found cut down along the shore, Maureen starts providing some unofficial assistance to Captain Rob Tate by digging into the island’s maritime history. But it’s not the only mystery she’s facing—because the shop’s resident ghost is seeing ghosts himself . . .

 

Happy reading!

The Boston Globe says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” She’s the author of the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries, the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. As Margaret Welch, she writes books for Annie’s Fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and she’s a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest and connect with her on Instagram or Bluesky.