Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

Red Lentils  are a kitchen staple around Our Greener Kitchen. They cook up quickly without needing any presoaking and they blend in with lots of other ingredients. This soup is hearty enough to serve for a dinner meal along side a tossed salad and a nice crusty roll. The sweet potato and carrots adds a touch of natural sweetness without the use of refined sugar. Additionally, the high fibre content of these ingredients helps stabalize blood sugars.

Ingredients

• 1 kg sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cups dried red lentils
• 6 cups vegetable stock or 6 cups water
• 796 ml can tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked green or brown lentils, about 1 cup raw.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground pepper  

Directions

1.    Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add onion and garlic.

2.    Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and slightly caramelized.

3.    Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the cooked green lentils. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover. Simmer the soup for about 30-40 minutes, until the red lentils and sweet potatoes are tender.

4.    Remove 2 cups of soup from the pot and set aside. Puree the soup by using a stick blender or in small batches in a regular blender. Return the puree to the pot, add set aside “chunky” soup and add the cooked green or brown lentils.

5.    Adjust seasonings and serve.

 

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone is Italian for “big soup”. Traditionally, it’s a vegetable soup with beans and pasta in it. It’s also meant to be a mix and match deal. Substitute ingredients freely when you’re making this. You can add meat, greens like kale or spinach or omit ingredients your family doesn’t enjoy. Have fun; be creative.

Ingredients: 

• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup diced carrot (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups of beef, vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 cups of water
• 540 ml/ 19 oz can beans or lentils
• 1 cup diced potatoes
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1 can (796 ml/ 28 oz) tomatoes
• 1 cup dried pasta (any small shape)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (1 Tablespoon fresh)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (1 Tablespoon fresh)
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme (2 teaspoons fresh)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender, drain and set aside.

2.  Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and sauté until the vegetables have softened.

3.  Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the reserved pasta) and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

4.  Put some of the cooked pasta in a bowl and ladle the hot soup over it. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese (optional).

We cook the pasta separate from the soup because the pasta stays firm instead of becoming mushy when it’s put into the soup. This recipe makes a big pot with plenty for leftovers. Cooking the pasta seperately means the next day's soup is still awesome, instead of starchy.  

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

1 can (540 ml) )chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 can (796 ml) diced tomatoes – I use no salt added

1 can (4.5 oz) green chilies

1/2 cup diced onions – about one small onion

2 stalks of celery diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup diced sweet potato (optional)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tbsp ground ginger

1 tbsp ground coriander

1/4 cup vegetable broth

4 or 5 frozen spinach pellets or ½ cup of chopped fresh spinach

½ chopped green sweet pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Saute garlic and onion in olive oil over medium heat for about two minutes.
2. Stir in cumin, ginger and coriander.
3. Add celery and cook until vegetables are tender.
4. Add chickpeas, vegetable broth, green chilies and tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil. Add sweet potatoes if using. Cover and simmer for ten minutes or until sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Add additional water or vegetable broth if it is too thick.
5. Option: stir in some frozen spinach pellets or add ½ green pepper, diced. Remove from heat and let flavours mingle for a few minutes before serving.
6. Serve alone or with brown rice and steamed green beans.