French Green Lentil Soup

Behold! My second veg meal - what can I say? I love the soups... This is actually my first time cooking lentils - how exciting! Well, I was excited, anyways. The soup was very rich tasting and hearty. If paired with a side salad and a piece of whole grain bread, this would make a very filling and satisfying meal. I actually ate a little too much of it and now my stomach hurts... I'm still getting the hang of the "not too much" part of the EFNTMMP lifestyle...



I ate my bowl with one of my favorite Trader Joe's items - a piece of Tandoori naan.

Michael Pollan writes:

Especially avoid food products containing ingredients that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable c) more than five in number — or that contain high-fructose corn syrup.None of these characteristics are necessarily harmful in and of themselves, but all of them are reliable markers for foods that have been highly processed.

Nothing suspicious with the TJs Tandoori naan! Check out these ingredients - wheat flour, water, milk, yogurt, sunflower oil, and salt. You stick it in the oven and it gets all warm and crispy and soft. Pure heaven.


French Green Lentil Soup

Recipe is taken from The Occasional Vegetarian, pg. 81

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
6 cups vegetable stock or water
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups lentils, washed and drained
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 c diced carrots
1/2 c diced celery
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp Porcini powder (I just used dry porcini mushrooms)
Fresh coriander (cilantro) for garnish (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan. Add onion and saute over medium heat until it begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the ginger and saute for a few seconds.

2. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaf, cumin, and lentils. If using dried mushrooms instead of the powder, mince and add them to the soup. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Add salt, pepper, carrots, celery, tomato sauce, and Porcini powder if using. Cook over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Serve hot.

Source:

Lee, Karen and Porter, Diane (1995). The occasional vegetarian: More than 200 robust dishes to satisfy both full- and part-time vegetarians. New York, NY: Warner Books.