Soul Warming Vegetable & Lentil Soup
I hate winter. I hate the cold days and the lack of sunshine. But I do love the soups that come with the dreary weather. This one is so full of goodness it's hard not to feel a little warmer all over after you've had a big bowl full.
Dried lentils are one the most protein-rich legumes, while also being a good source of potassium, magnesium, calcium, folate, and dietary fiber, so it's no wonder this soup makes you feel so good.
In the pot it starts out looking like a rainbow, and you know how much I love eating the rainbow. Once it's all cooked up, some of the brightness has dissipated, but all the nourishing and healing elements remain ready to be gobbled up.
Enjoy it after a long day at work, after a workout or yoga session, or to fuel your body before you sit to do a meditation.
Gluten free and vegan.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 onion, chopped
2 celery staks, diced
2 tblspns olive oil
1/2 a butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeds, and pulp removed, diced into small cubes
1.8L vegetable or chicken stock
1 400g can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups dried French lentils, rinsed
1/2 bunch spinach (not silverbeet), cut into thin strips
1 1/2 tblspns curry powder
1 tblspn raw sugar
1 bay leaf
a pinch of dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
chilli paste, to serve (optional)
METHOD:
Heat oil in a large pot and add onion and celery. Saute for about 3 minutes before adding the diced pumpkin. Cook for another few minutes.
Add all remianing ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about an hour.
Remove the bay leaf and ladle into bowls drizzled with a small amount of chilli paste on the top.
Serve with warm crusty bread.
Enjoy!
The Enchantress
