Lentil Soup Drizzled with Coconut Milk.
Recently, I was approached by the lovely Katie over on the amazing blog, Whole Nourishment. She is a fellow whole foodie and wellness coach and she just happens to post super tasty recipes! She approached a number of bloggers that focus on whole food cooking about putting together a series which highlights recipes for Cooking for One. I was super excited to team up with all of these bloggers because we share a common philosophy about food. I was also excited about the thought of devising a recipe for people who cook for themselves. Usually, I am cooking for my whole family so I have four people’s tastes and desires I have to take into account. For this recipe, I got to focus on only myself! Yippee!
On the rare occasions when I am cooking for only myself, I see it as an opportunity to eat exactly what I want. Sometimes, I take the easy way out and just eat a salad or buy take out but every once in awhile, I am inspired to create something that truly nourishes my body. This recipe is one of those times. I know a big pot of soup seems like too much for one person but I see it as a chance to be prepared. I now have lunch or dinner for the next few days and can even freeze a few individual portions for future meals.
Delicata Squash.
This recipe is an extension of a recipe I posted a few weeks ago. The soup calls for Roasted Delicata Squash but butternut squash or any other fall squash would be good. Here is the recipe for roasting the squash. I am a huge fan of delicata squash because it does not need to be peeled and is incredibly sweet when roasted. In fact, when it is in season, I cook it so much that my kids complain as soon as they see one in the house. (However, that’s the beauty of this recipe, the boys didn’t even notice the squash blended into the soup!) Since delicata squash is high in vitamins A and C and iron and calcium, I loved knowing I had snuck all those nutrients into the boy’s bodies!
This soup is filled with amazing whole foods nourishment perfect for the up coming winter.
Red Lentils.
Red lentils are a fiber all star with 16 grams of fiber in a one cup serving. All this fiber helps balance blood sugar and lower cholesterol. They are also an excellent source of folate, copper, phosphorous, manganese and iron. Eating just one cup of lentils will provide your body with over 35% of its daily protein needs.
Ingredients.
This soup also features garlic and onions, two members of the alluim family. Both are rich in sulfur-containing compounds that are responsible for their pungent odors and for many of their health-promoting effects. They have traditionally been used to fight colds and the flu. Ginger has traditionally been used to combat nausea and stomach upset. It is well known for its antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects. One of curry powder’s main components is usually turmeric and turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, has been shown to prevent sharp spikes in blood sugar, is anti-inflammatory and helps manage cholesterol. All of these soup ingredients are considered “warming” in Traditional Chinese Medicine, making them an excellent addition to a winter diet!
Mixed greens.
I added about a cup of mixed greens towards the end of cooking to boost the nutrition in the soup. I used a mixture of different kales, spinach and red and green chard. Leafy greens are full of vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytochemicals. They are rich in fiber, and kale, in particular, adds a boost of calcium. They are packed with Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E- all important for optimal health.
Finished Soup without Coconut Milk.
Ingredients
- 2 roasted delicata squash
- onion
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- 1- 1 1/2 tbs of curry powder (to taste)
- 1 cup of red lentils, rinsed
- 1-2 tbs of coconut oil
- 1/2 inch nob of ginger, peeled and diced
- 1/2 can coconut milk, more for drizzling
- 1 cup of chopped mixed greens
- 4 cups of veggie broth
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook squash according to directions in the recipe link.
- Heat oil in large pot.
- Add onions, ginger and garlic and cook til begin to turn translucent.
- Add curry powder and heat til becomes fragrant.
- Add lentils and broth and cook until lentils become soft. (About 30 minutes.)
- Dice up the cooked squash.
- Add half of the cooked squash to the pot and set the other half aside.
- Blend soup with an immersion blender or in a regular blender in batches until no chunks can be seen.
- Now add the remainder of the squash.
- Add coconut milk.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add greens.
- Let simmer til greens are wilted and squash is heated through.
- Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk or plain according to your taste.
Unfortunately, I am the last blogger to post in the Cooking for One series. I highly recommend you check out the other posts. There are some VERY tasty recipes.
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Day
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Friends
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Sunday, October 5th
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Katie @ Whole Nourishment ~ Green Quinoa Bowl
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Monday, October 6th
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Kellie @ Food to Glow ~ Grilled Shiitake Kimcheese
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Tuesday, October 7th
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Isadora @ She Likes Food ~ Vegetable Lasagna Roll-ups
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Wednesday, October 8th
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Dearna @ to her core ~ Roasted Pumpkin and Peanut Soup
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Thursday, October 9th
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Lynsey @ lynseylovesfood ~ Roasted Root Vegetable Calzones
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Sarah @ Highgate Hill Kitchen ~ Spicy-Roasted Chickpeas, Herbed Freekeh & Moroccan Carrot Salad
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Friday, October 10th
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Grace @ Earthy Feast ~ Marinated Mushroom Sandwich with Sautéed Greens + Avocado + Egg
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Saturday, October 11th
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Teri @ Nourished Roots ~ Curried Red Lentil and Roasted Delicata Squash Soup
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Enjoy all the deliciousness and remember just because you might be cooking for yourself, does not mean you don’t deserve to nourish your body with tasty, whole foods you enjoy! YOU ARE WORTH IT!
by Angela Liddon. Everything I have made from this book has been a hit with my family- no small feat with two teenage boys!
