Four Corners Lentil Soup

 

It's Meatless Monday and this Vegan Lentil Soup is what's cooking in our house. I originally found this recipe on Epicurious.com and have adapted it to fit our family. It uses red lentils, which when cooked turn yellow, and it is full of flavorful ginger, cumin and leeks. This is a perfect medicinal soup for a cold day or when someone in the house has the sniffles. Lentils are a great source of protein to fuel the body and ginger has wonderful medicinal qualities to help boost digestion and the immune system.

This lentil soup is a favorite in our house. Our littlest child, the picky eater, will devour 2 giant bowls. It also freezes beautifully so when there are leftovers, I keep them in the freezer for a rainy day (or if I get sick and don't have the energy to make dinner for everyone).

I prefer to use leeks in my Four Corners Lentil Soup because they are more mild than an onion and they add beautiful light green flecks of color to the soup.

Heat 2 Tbs. of coconut oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and ginger and saute for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Stir in the cumin and cayenne pepper, cook for 1 minute until it becomes very fragrant.

Add the diced tomatoes, sliced lemon and a pinch of salt. Stir gently until combined.

Stir in the rinsed lentils and cook for about 1 minute. When heated through, add the vegetable stock (or chicken stock if not making the soup vegan) and bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to simmer for 30-40 minutes or until lentils are tender and just beginning to fall apart. Season with salt and pepper and add 1 Tbs. maple syrup to balance the flavors. Serve with fresh cilantro leaves and lemon slices. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to one month.

Four Corners Lentil Soup
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. coconut oil
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, quartered and diced
3 Tbs. fresh ginger, peeled and diced finely
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbs. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 lemon, sliced thinly
2 cups red lentils, rinsed
8 cups vegetable stock 
1 Tbs. pure maple syrup, or agave syrup
2 Tbs. cilantro leaves, chopped
additional lemon slices for serving.

In a large stock pot, heat coconut oil on medium high heat. Add leeks and ginger and saute for 4-5 minutes until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in cumin and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute, until very fragrant.

Add tomatoes and lemon, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in the lentils and broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes covered, until lentils are tender and just beginning to fall apart. Add 1 Tbs. maple syrup to balance the flavors.

Serve with fresh cilantro leaves and lemon slices. Leftovers can be frozen for up to one month.

Roasted Root Vegetables

When root vegetables are roasted in a really hot oven, the sugars inside of them begin to caramelize and they become more delicious than ever before. This recipe is great because you can use vegetables that are easy to find and you can even sneak in some vegetables that your kids (and possibly husbands) might not eat otherwise. I typically make mine with carrots, sweet potatoes, sweet onions and beets. The kale added into the mixture towards the end of the cooking time adds a crispy, crunchy texture and a little more color.

Start by prepping your veggies. Peel the carrots, sweet potatoes, and beets. If you are using red beets, peel and chop those last since they will stain your prep area and the other vegetables. 

If your beets come with tops, trim them and place in a glass of water for up to 2 days. There are all sorts of dishes which you can use these beautiful beet greens. If you like to juice, throw some in while juicing; or chop the stems very finely and tear the leaves and mix into your favorite salad greens. Beet greens are also delicious sauted with a little olive oil and a splash of white wine vinegar. They even make a pretty "flower" arrangement for your windowsill. 

Once the vegetables have been washed and peeled you are now ready to chop into a 1/2 inch dice. 

Spread out onto a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with several tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper. Mix until all vegetables are coated evenly with the oil. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, stirring once during cooking.

After 40 minutes, add the torn kale leaves on top of the roasting vegetables. Roast for 20 more minutes, then stir. Check your vegetable at this point, the beets and sweet potatoes should be fork tender, and the kale should be crispy. If not, roast for an additional 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve as a side dish or over lentils or quinoa as a main dish.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Ingredients:
1 sweet onion, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3 large carrots, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3-4 small beets, yellow or red, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large bunch kale leaves, stems removed and torn into bite size pieces
3-4 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Preheat the over to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, place all vegetables, excluding the kale, on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, Season with salt and pepper and mix until all vegetables are coated evenly.

Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once while cooking. Remove baking sheet from oven and pile the kale on top of the roasted vegetables. Return to the oven for 20 more minutes. Stir and check if vegetables are fork tender and kale is crispy. If not, return to oven and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve as a side dish or over lentils or quinoa as a main dish.