Pack the Pantries: Kylee’s Kitchen shows us how to make the most of food bank staples

As FOX59 continues the Pack the Pantries drive, we’re learning from food banks about what foods are often in abundance.

This includes items like canned pumpkins, lentils, and frozen carrots. A big reason behind this is shoppers don’t really know what to do with them.

Kylee Scales of Kylee’s Kitchen wants to help. She’s created some recipes where you can utilize these uncommon ingredients.

Pumpkin Lentil Curry

Yield: 8 cups

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons oil (I prefer coconut oil)
• 1 large yellow onion (6 ounces), small dice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 14 ounces pumpkin puree
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 4 cup vegetable stock
• 14 ounces canned coconut milk (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot. Sweat onion over medium low heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and ginger and saute 2 minutes or until garlic and ginger are fragrant.
3. Add curry powder and salt and saute another minute.
4. Add pumpkin puree and lentils and stir to ensure they’re coated in seasonings.
5. Pour in vegetable stock, bring curry to boil, reduce to simmer, cover curry and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Remove lid and stir in coconut milk.
7. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Lentil Carrot Falafel

Yield: 16 falafel

Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown or green lentils, soaked for 1 hour 30 minutes in warm water or 8 – 12 hours in cool water
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 3 large carrots or about 1 cup, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup parsley, leaves and stems
• 1/2 cup cilantro, leaves and stems
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Oil for coating sheet pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat baking sheet in oil (I use avocado oil and line my baking sheet with aluminum foil). Set aside.
2. Pulse lentils, onion, carrots, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, salt, and black pepper in food processor.
3. Stir in flour and baking powder.
4. Scoop into golf ball-sized portions and shape into patties.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
6. Serve falafel immediately.