Soup season is officially here. While I’m sad to see sunny warm days behind us, I do love a good bowl of soup. It’s a pretty fabulous and easy way to get a lot of nutrition in one bowl while cutting through that persistent chill in the air. I view soup as the ultimate comfort food, like wrapping yourself up in a protective blanket against the cold, cold world. I guess that’s part of the reason why we gravitate towards soup while we’re sick. It provides so much nourishment while giving us that sense of comfort that we subconsciously (or consciously) seek. But don’t wait until you’re sick and start soup-ing now! It’s a great way to fortify the body, especially during seasonal transitions when germs are rampant and people are more susceptible to falling ill. Try this yummy red lentil soup (or any of these soups), get cozy and safeguard yourself against this windy cold weather.
I realize not everyone is into making homemade vegetable broth. Humor me for a moment, and I’ll point out the many reasons to put in the effort. First, it’s a lot easier than you probably think. It requires very little chopping and prepping – think 5 minutes. It entails throwing veggies in a big pot and letting it simmer (or pressure cook for only 10 minutes!). Second, it’s one of the ways you can add so many fortifying nutrients to your soup. You can use a wide array of vegetables, and therefore, achieve a broad spectrum of nutrients in your broth, transforming it into a medicinal elixir. Third, it helps you avoid unnecessary food waste. Do you throw away carrot skins, parsley stems, woody asparagus ends…? All of these unwanted vegetable parts have a ton of nutrition in them and make for a delicious broth. It’s also a great way to use up those vegetables that you never got to cooking that week. They’re not looking in tip top shape, just about to turn, but still not rotten. At this stage, those almost discarded vegetables still taste great in a broth. Still not convinced? Lastly, it makes your soup taste absolutely delicious. I have yet to find a boxed or off-the-shelf veggie broth that actually tastes good. If you have, please share!!
Curried Red Lentil Veggie Soup
I had a lot of veggies in my fridge from a recent CSA delivery, so I really loaded this soup with a lot of vegetables. Don't let that dissuade you from trying this! Pick your favorite options or whatever you have on hand. Soups are a great way to express your creativity in the kitchen!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- 2 leeks sliced thinly, white parts only
- 2 cloves garlic mined finely
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 3 carrots chopped
- 1 1-inch piece (or larger) gingerroot peeled and minced
- 1 Tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 1/3 cups red lentils rinsed well
- 5 cups homemade vegetable broth or broth of your choice
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 bunch Swiss chard stemmed and chopped
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
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Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add ghee and allow to melt. Add leeks, garlic, celery and carrots. Sauté until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add fresh ginger, garam masala, cumin and coriander. Cook for another couple minutes, stirring constantly.
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Add red lentils and vegetable broth (or broth of choice). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower florets. If needed, add water to make sure cauliflower is submerged. Simmer covered for another 15 minutes.
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Add red bell peppers, Swiss chard and sea salt, to taste. The amount of sea salt used will depend on your broth. If you're using homemade broth with no salt, start with 1 1/2 tsp of sea salt. Taste and adjust accordingly. Continue to simmer uncovered for another 5-10 minutes, until Swiss chard is wilted and red bell peppers are cooked.
Recipe Notes
You can always add a cooked whole grain to your bowl of soup - like quinoa, brown rice. I recommend adding it to individual bowls, instead of the whole pot. It doesn't keep as well if you have leftovers.