Class was uneventful and before I knew it I was back at home. I’ve been slacking and haven’t been planning my dinners out and also skipped a grocery store trip this weekend since we had enough stuff to get by, so we’re in "dinners on a whim" mode.
Things I had:
- Leftover chicken
- Leftover squash goo "broth"
- A sweet potato
- Huge thing of spinach
- Carrots
- Lentils
- Rice
- Spices
=another crock pot meal!
At 4:00 I prepared the dish and set it to high for 3 hours.
First a nuked a tiny sweet potato and 2 carrots so they were slightly tender.
Then added half a cup each of rice and red lentils plus 1.5 cups broth
Then leftover chicken (only about 1/3 cup) pulled from the bone and our congealed squash broth from the chicken + squash dinner.
Then 2 tsp of red curry powder, 1 tsp yellow curry powder, salt and pepper.
I think this deer in our yard was rabid – he was dancing and doing weird things. I stayed inside.
And I ate this KIND bar for a snack. Don’t think I’ve ever tried this flavor and I loved it!!!
I got some research done with the help of my Twitter scholars Julie and Alicia who helped me locate some articles!
And at 7PM it was time to eat!
Curry Chicken + Squash Lentil Dal
[I'm not sure what the definition of a dal is, but I'm calling this one because it was goopy and had red lentils!]
Topped with cinnamon, yogurt and red pepper flakes and served on a bed of wilted baby spinach drizzled with EVOO
I thought it was appropriate to have curry for dessert too 
Trying to motivate myself to do more research. I am good at finishing small projects, but I despite research papers 
GOSSIP GIRL TONIGHT!
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{ 57 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks delicious!!!!
Did you like the walnut and date bar? I’ve been meaning to try it. Now that I am caught up on GG2 I am behind on season 3!
A dancing deer? Are you sure it wasn’t one of santa’s lost? haha
What a great way to use up your leftovers! I’m always impressed by what you can whip up on your own.
I haven’t seen that flavor of KIND bar, but I just LOVE those bars. I’ll have to be on the look-out for that one!
Haha i like how calmly you mention the rabid deer and its dancing.. prob good you stayed inside!
Oh that looks great, I’ve been looking around for a chicken crock pot recipe and have started experimenting with Indian flavors so this is perfect! Yum!
Amazing! I like how that’s your nothing in the house dinner…! Mine would be a bowl of cereal. Looks delicious!!!
I am liking the double use of the leftovers….. looks great Kath
Personal Finance is getting me!
I like the use of leftovers. I frequently have bits and pieces of things in the fridge.
LOVE that KIND bar… and dinner looks delicious. I can’t wait to get a CrockPot… someday…
Seeing that deer makes me miss North Cakalaka. *tear*
Doesn’t the crock pot make dinner easier? This looks delish — it’s always fun to find creative new ways to use leftovers.
Okay, this is the third person who has made Lentil Daal in the past week. I really think it’s a sign to my stomach! That chocolate looks so yummy too!
You are so creative with your leftovers! Also, I love the placemat.
I made a mishmosh of stuff for dinner, too…falafel balls on polenta with diced tomatoes and 2% shredded cheese on top.
I’ve never had that vosges bar…looks great/
Wow! What a creative dinner!
That’s my favorite KIND bar
Looks like a marvelous CrockPot Concoction!
It’s white-tailed deer breeding season (also called rutting season) right now. That’s probably why he (thought I saw some antlers??) was dancing around, trying to attract the does. Just in case you were worried!!
ohhh i’ve had those vosges chocolates before… they make a bacon one, too. didn’t partake in that, but just wanted to throw it out there!
Haha
Jason tried curry for the first time this weekend, and despite my warning that it would be SPICY, he still got it at maximum heat (we were at a Thai place) and by the end of the meal he was in tears and his nose was running LMAO, I think it was the funniest thing I’d ever seen
love all of your crock pot dinners!
jenna
geeez! My ‘dinners on a whim’ look a bit differently than yours! (ie – PB&J
)
looks delish!
dal basically stands for lentils…..usually, in South Asia the consistency is more thinner….one cud add an assortment of spices/vegetables/other lentils! you may wanna try okra!! yummmmm!
Good crockpot meals make me so happy… yours looks delicious!
Crockpot is your good friend – the dish coming from them looks all so yummy!!!
btw, I am writing my big project too (dissertation….), that already takes 1 year…still going on. I hope we can all have more patience and being persistent !
I think Dal means lentils. Thanks for the inspiration w/ the crock pot . Used ours for the first time ever this weekend. Very good.
Mmmmm Vosges chocolate is so decadent and delicious. Sometimes paying a bit more for the better product really is worth it!
thanks for the link love
and god bless the crockpot!
i agree! yeah for the crockpot – esp. for us busy women! get home and food is ready! i wish i could pull together an amazing meal from leftovers. my college roommate was a pro at making whatever we happen to have into a meal, but it intimidates me! give this gal a recipe! kudos to you for your delicious looking meal!
just got done watching the current episode of GG and i do believe it’s like crack. what i would give to be in the show.
yummy food!
I LOVE curry
Reached your quota for today? 
It’s okay of it’s not a “real” dal–the goop still looks great 
In regards to what you made in the crock pot “on a whim”…you’re a genius.
Hope the weird, spazzy deer departed after his weird fits in your yard. Although, I have to say that as a city dweller, I’m jealous that you have a yard…let alone a yard that attracts wildlife.
I love KIND bars, so I’ll have to seek out that walnut and date bar.
What a good way to make use of your leftovers. I need to be creative with my leftovers next time!
-Courtney
i need to get some 1 serving portions of chocolate… such a perfect after-dinner snack for a sweet tooth!
I LOVE that kind bar too!!! Nice and gooey from the dates..mmm and love the walnutty flavor. Some of those Vosges flavors are out of control! I saw a bacon one this weekend…my friend from high school actually does their graphic design work! Aaaand, tried carrot + almond butter for the first time…amazing!
I like that you matched your chocolate with the flavors in your dinner : ) I couldn’t help but notice that you and Jenna (EatLiveRun) had the same brand of chocolate for dessert. Great foodies think alike!
Curry chocolate?! I must try!
O. M. Gaga.
Yum, dinner looks delicious!
I’m so jealous that you get deer in your backyard!
We don’t get much of that in Southern California
You are much braver than I am. I would be so worried my dinner wouldn’t turn out without a recipe. But it looks good
I also despise research papers. last year i had a 35 pg paper assignment on the medial temporal lobe…every paper after that has seemed quite small.
Dhal normally consists of yellow lentils. Two types: Dhalca and dhal. Dhalca is thick like what you made with other vege like onions and potatoes, green beans, carrots..
Dhal is watery, used with “Roti Canai” which is somewhat of a flat bread (but oily and made with ghee).
Awesome use of leftovers + crockpot!
Research is def. time consuming, tedious, and can be fustrating at times. If you need any help with it please let me know. My school’s databases aren’t the best but I have become pretty good with finding articles.
Kath, I’ve been reading your blog for the past couple of months, but had never gone back through the archives. However, I’m returning to university next year to study nutrition also, and I’ve LOVED going back over your archives from Jan 2008 onwards and reading about your college experiences! I will only be studying part-time as I’m also halfway through a PhD (in a completely unrelated field!), but you’ve provided me with a heap of great lunch ideas for days that I’m either doing my postgrad or undergrad work (I’ll be at two different campuses on opposite sides of town), and your motivation and organisation is inspiring. Thanks!
Those are the best looking leftovers I’ve ever seen
Any sort of lentil goop sounds like dal to me
I tried my first KIND bar on my last visit to the States. I only picked up one because it looked kinda boring. Boy! Was I wrong! They’re amaaaazing!! So chunky and gooey 
Great way to use up everything.
Like others have said, lentils =dal, and because you cooked the rice and chicken with it, you actually made a hybrid of two other dishes — khichuri (lentil and rice) and pullao (chicken and rice). A 3-in-1 dish!
That deer was rabid?! LOL I would have loved to see that.
How did you like the curry chocolate bar? Sounds intriguing.
I keep hearing great things about Kind bars but I haven’t really tried them yet (I think I did once but I can’t remember, haha). Going to have to check those out!
Crazy deer
For a random mix of left-overs that dinner is IMPRESSIVE! I love, love Indian food :O)
I am very big into making 6-7 portion meals and then portioning them into containers and freezing. SO it is like I am making my own “tv dinners” and then if I am in a hurry I can pop them in the microwave from the freezer and eat in less than 10 mins!
Very funny comment about the deer. Made me chuckle.
Ah I love your creative meals!! Those leftovers look amazing!
I thought I was going to be all smart and get to tell you about the “rut” deer mating season, but Marianne beat me to it. Yeah, I don’t think it is anything to be concerned about Kath. The deer start acting kind of crazy this time of year.
I love research papers! I was an English Lit major in undergrad and that was my favorite part…
I’m getting my MBA now and sadly my research papers are much more boring… I’d much rather be looking up Shakespeare theory than macroeconomic theory!
I’m pretty sure I saw that same deer here in San Antonio last week. It was jumping and dancing and having a grand time. I guess it was in the holiday spirit. I love that curry Vosges chocolate.
Man I love that curry chocolate…