Mediterranean Lentil Soup

It’s colddddd in Colorado, so I decided to make some soup. Last year it felt like I was making a batch of soup a week, but so far this year that hasn’t been the case. Mostly because we’ve been moving around so much, had family visiting. Just a lot going on. But the other day I remembered I had some dry lentils sitting in my pantry and thought they would be a nice change.

The original plan was to just cook them and add them to different dishes. Or just eat them on their own with a little olive oil and salt (my favorite way to have them). But then I thought, how about soup? A couple of days before I had made a nice vegetable/bone broth and I figured I could use that for my soup.

My fiancé found this awesome recipe, Mediterranean Lentil Soup, and voila, away we went.

This recipe is a nice alternative to the normal run of the mill soup I had been making. It’s nice because it has all the ingredients you would expect, like carrots, onion, and celery, but also spices like cumin, oregano, basil, and thyme, that I had never put in my soup before. And I’m not sure what exactly it does, but the lemon juice finishing touch adds a nice punch to the mix.

If you are looking for something a little more flavorful, than give this one a try.

Something I like to do is turn my vegetable soup into chicken soup by simply shredding some already cooked chicken and layering it over the top. My favorite way to cook chicken these days is in the slow cooker. With a pot full of soup and a container of chicken, chicken soup is as easy as one, two, three.

Kidney Bean and Mushroom Soup

A slightly different twist on a soup I’ve come to love. Check out this hearty recipe and keep some soup in your fridge.

Cooking Instructions:

Bring a pot to medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive to the pan, and then add 2 chopped carrots, 1/2 chopped celery stalk, 4 cloves of chopped garlic, 2 slices of red onion. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes.

Then add: 2 cups of vegetable broth, 2 cups of water, 4 oz of sliced cremini mushrooms, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp of dry parsley, 2 pinches of sea salt and a few cracks of fresh black pepper. Bring to a boil and then down to a simmer and allow to cook for 20 minutes.

Then add: 1 can of rinsed kidney beans, 1/2 chopped zucchini, 1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes. Allow to cook at a simmer for another 25 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and enjoy!

Delicious and Hearty Lentil Soup

Green lentils have become one of my favorite foods. And making lentil soup is a great way to enjoy them. Check out this hearty recipe and keep some soup in your fridge.

Cooking Instructions:

Bring a pot to medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive to the pan, and then add 2 chopped carrots, 1/2 chopped celery stalk, 4 cloves of chopped garlic, 2 slices of chopped white or yellow onion. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes.

Then add 2 cups of vegetable broth, 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of lentils, 3 sliced campari tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp of dry parsley, 2 pinches of sea salt and a few cracks of fresh black pepper. Bring to a boil and then down to a simmer and allow to cook for 20 minutes.

Then quarter 6 - 8 crimini mushrooms and add them to the pot. Allow to cook for another 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and enjoy!

Delicious Veggie Soup

Vegetable soup, courtesy of Bob’s Red Mill

• Bring a pot to med-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil. Chop 2 carrots, 1/2 a cup of celery, a handful of chopped onion and 2 gloves of garlic. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic to the pot. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. 

• Add 2 cups water, 2 cups vegetable broth, 1/2 can of crushed tomatoes (6-8 oz), two handfuls of Bobs Red Mill Soup Mix, a few pinches of salt, ground pepper, a sprinkle of dried parsley, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. 

• Chop up a 1/2 a zucchini. Add it to the pot and let cook for another 25 minutes. 

• Serve with a piece of buttered sourdough toast (I used ghee).

  Buon appetito!