Now for many of you out there, this is probably obvious. Not for me. My underwear drawer if full of bunched up piles so I can't see anything past the same 5 pairs I seem to wear over and over (washed, of course!). My closet is a mess. My pantry has no order and would make some of my OCD friends very, very uncomfortable.
I have been cooking for almost 30 years and this concept changed my life. It's so simple and yet it makes a huge difference. Do you have any idea how many times I have creamed butter and sugar only to realize I am out of flour? Or the chaos that ensues as you tear apart the cupboards looking for that one spice you KNOW you bought last month. It has to be here somewhere, behind the 757734 other mislabeled spice jars, right?
Now I start by taking out what I need. I chop my vegetables first. I measure out my spices. Who knew that's what the cute tiny glass bowls were for? I made sure I had stock (which I usually do given my depression-era tendencies of food storage). I measured and rinsed my lentils, And now the soup is simmering on the stove, the counters are clean, and I am snuggling while typing next to this guy.
This is Pablo. He is a 4 year old Yorkie Poo. He weighs 9 pounds and likes to bark at imaginary people and snuggle. He does not eat lentil soup (but only because I don't allow it).
I make a variety of lentil soups but this one is a favorite that I tend to fall back on. It's vegan, gluten free, healthy and delicious. And it costs almost nothing to make. I like to make it veggie-heavy to add more sweetness and stretch it.
Ingredients:
-2 cups red lentils, rinsed
-1 cup carrots, chopped
-1 cup celery, chopped
-1 onion chopped
(note, I don't worry about finely chopping as I puree he soup when I am done.)
-1 tbsp garlic paste* (see note below)
-1 TBSP coconut oil
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
-1 tsp cumin
-1 tsp coriander
-1 tsp Himalayan salt
-5 cups stock (i like vegetable in this but use whatever you have)
-1.5 cups low fat coconut milk (I used the silk brand in the refrigerated section. Make sure you use unsweetened, should be around 45 calories a cup.)
Heat up an enamel pot (or stainless steel, I just love my Le Crueset for soup. Just make sure it's heavy-bottomed) over medium heat. Add in the oil. Through in the veggies and saute for about 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent. (aren't you glad you had them all prepped?)
After they have cooked for the 10 min, add all the spices (including the garlic paste) and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring well. Toasting them really brings out the flavors.
Add the lentils and stir well. Add the stock and stir with a wooden spoon, deglazing the bits from the pan. Bring to a boil and then cover and turn the heat to low. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until everything is soft and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and add the coconut milk. If you don't have one, I highly recommend getting an immersion blender, It's the easiest and least messy way to make pureed soups. You can use a blender and do it in batches....just make sure it's cool first. Hot soup can explode in a blender and it's a crime scene when it does,
This soup is filling and so so so good. You can make it spicier by adding in jalapenos when you saute the veggies but my kids would balk at that.
This makes about 12 cups, and each one is 2 yellow and 1/2 green if you are following the 21 day fix.
*Garlic paste: This is an amazing ingredient I discovered at an Indian market when I was experimenting with Indian cooking a few months ago. It is literally just pureed garlic and it's an easy shortcut. If you are using fresh garlic add like 3-6 cloves depending on your taste.
Enjoy!!
xx, Randie
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