Vegetarian Lentil Soup Sweet Potatoes Spinach Food

VEGETARIAN LENTIL SOUP SWEET POTATOES & SPINACH

Steps:

• 1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until it turns translucent.
• 2. Add the carrots, celery and Serrano Chile and continue to saute for 5 minutes.
• 3. Rinse the lentils until the water runs clean. Add the lentils to the pot, dry spices and stir.
• 4. Add the diced tomatoes, the vegetable broth, bay leaves and stir.
• 5. Turn up the heat to bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the hear to medium; add the sweet potatoes and let it simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until it has thickened considerably and the lentils are tender.
• 6. Once the lentils have attained their desired softness and you are ready to serve, add the spinach. I prefer to add the spinach leaves whole, since spinach shrinks when its cooked, so chopping is not necessary.
• 7. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary and stir. Remove bay leaves and serve warm.
• 8. Enjoy my friends!

LENTIL SWEET POTATO & SPINACH STEW

Steps:

• Combine the lentils, vegetable broth, water, onion, garlic cloves and bay leaf in a large soup pot or Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Rub saffron between your fingers and add to the pot, along with the turmeric. Stir, reduce the heat, add salt to taste, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, add the remaining ingredients except the spinach. Return to a simmer, cover and simmer an additional 25-30 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are tender.
• Remove the onion, garlic cloves and bay leaf and salt/pepper to taste. Stir the spinach into the hot stew a 5-7 minutes before serving to allow it to wilt.

HEARTY LENTIL SOUP WITH SPINACH - VEGETARIAN VERSION

Steps:

• Heat olive oil at medium-high heat.
• Add onions, carrots and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften (4-8 minutes).
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
• Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme; cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
• Stir in lentils, salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils have darkened *7-10 minutes).
• Uncover, add vegetable broth and water.
• Bring to a boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low.
• Simmer until lentils are tender but not mushy (30-35 minutes).
• Discard bay leaf.
• Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth, then return puree to pot.
• Stir in spinach until wilted.
• Serve! (or place in plastic containers for work!).

LENTIL STEW WITH SPINACH AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and stir 30 seconds. Add vegetable broth and lentils; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add potatoes; cook uncovered until potatoes and lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grate 1/2 teaspoon peel from lemon; squeeze enough juice from lemon to measure 2 tablespoons. Add lemon peel, lemon juice, spinach, cumin, thyme, and cayenne to stew. Cover and simmer stew until spinach wilts and is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Mix in mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before serving.).
• Spoon stew into large soup bowls. Sprinkle feta cheese over, if desired.

INDIAN SWEET POTATO AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in the hot oil until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Cook and stir red pepper flakes, turmeric, and garam masala into onion mixture until coated, about 2 more minutes.
• Stir lentils and broth into onion mixture; bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until lentils are softened but firm to the bite, about 15 minutes.
• Stir sweet potatoes into lentil mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender and lentils are fully cooked, about 10 more minutes. Add spinach; cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt.

SWEET POTATO AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Peel and roughly chop the onions and sweet potatoes - can be chunky.
• Combine with the stock or water, lentils, garlic, cumin, cayenne and turmeric in a pot.
• Cover and bring to the boil. Simmer until the potatoes and lentils are cooked - about 20-30 minutes.
• Puree the soup, adding in the coriander and the juice of the lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste (lots of pepper for me).

SPINACH, SWEET POTATO & LENTIL DHAL

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a wide-based pan with a tight-fitting lid.
• Add 1 finely chopped red onion and cook over a low heat for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened.
• Add 1 crushed garlic clove, a finely chopped thumb-sized piece of ginger and 1 finely chopped red chilli, cook for 1 min, then add 1½ tsp ground turmeric and 1½ tsp ground cumin and cook for 1 min more.
• Turn up the heat to medium, add 2 sweet potatoes, cut into even chunks, and stir everything together so the potato is coated in the spice mixture.
• Tip in 250g red split lentils, 600ml vegetable stock and some seasoning.
• Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 mins until the lentils are tender and the potato is just holding its shape.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning, then gently stir in the 80g spinach. Once wilted, top with the 4 diagonally sliced spring onions and ½ small pack torn basil leaves to serve.
• Alternatively, allow to cool completely, then divide between airtight containers and store in the fridge for a healthy lunchbox.