Warm and delicious is what we need right now. All of this craziness makes me want to curl up in a little ball, but a girl has got to eat… So, I’ll take a bowl of this soup with me. This simple warming soup can be adjusted to your own personal heat preference. You can also throw in any other vegetables you have on hand to make it your own way: sweet potatoes, cauliflower, bell peppers—the sky’s the limit! It’s a great way to get some good plant-based protein, and healthy fiber into your diet too. It can help keep your system strong during these colder months of the year. Packed with antioxidants, and vital nutrients, it’s a powerhouse for your immune system. With so much devastation going on, our immune systems could use a boost. Make a bowl and warm yourself from the inside out.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups raw lentils (brown, green, or black) rinsed and strained
- 1 chopped onion
- 4-6 cloves of fresh minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.4 oz or more
- 2 tablespoon vegetable bouillon or use vegetable broth
- 3 large potatoes chopped
- 3 large carrots chopped
- 2 cups packed fresh spinach
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2-3 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Juice of ½ a lime, or more to your liking
Soup time, my friends:
Gather all the ingredients, prepare, and chop everything up. In a large pot coated with olive oil, saute the onions and ginger, until golden brown. Add the cleaned lentils, and either 6 cups of water with vegetable bouillon, or 6 cups of vegetable broth.
Next, slowly drop in the carrots and potatoes, carefully as to not splash yourself. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes. Add the minced garlic, and all of the herbs and spices. The spices can be adjusted to your liking. Taste it as you are going along so see if you want to bump up the spice more or not, also add salt as needed.
When the lentils are soft, and the carrots and potatoes are cooked through, add the spinach, squeeze in the juice of ½ a lime, and cook for a couple more minutes until done. Ladle yourself a hearty bowl and dive in. This will warm your whole body up! Easy to make, with simple ingredients that most people have on hand, this soup is a keeper.
My heart goes out to all of those that were affected by the fires that swept through our city. I hope we can all come together and help one another through these hard times. Sending much love and well wishes to all. May you have good health and good luck in all of your cooking adventures. Peace Out.
