Lentil Soup

With super cold temperatures plaguing us, I thought it would be a good idea to make a big pot of soup to keep me warm. I had some red lentils that I needed to use so I looked up some recipes and found a really simple one that has roots in middle Eastern culture. This soup is very easy to make, cheap and delicious. It is also a great source of fiber and protein.

Lentil soup
2 tbs of olive oil
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
4 stalk of celery
1 tsp of curry powder
2 tsp of coriander
2 tsp of cumin
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of red lentils
1 cup of brown rice
4 cups of vegetable stock
2 cups of water

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, meanwhile dice the onion. When the oil is hot add the onion and saute until softened. Add in the chopped celery and spices and saute for 2 minutes. Add the the rice, lentils, stock and water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the rice is done. This should take about 45 minutes. The lentils break apart in this recipe and give the soup a nice texture and complements the chewiness of the rice nicely. Serve with fresh lemon slices and olives. I like to put artichoke hearts on it as well. Enjoy!!

What Kate Ate 12/2/10

Wheat toast with Marmite
Mini pumpkin cupcake
Burrito
Ginger spice tea
Lentil soup