Plant Based Diet: Lentil Veggie Soup

It's been awhile since I made soup. It's hard for me to get in the mood for soup during the summer but it's been a little cooler the past couple mornings, and I miss making soup...and I miss the low calorie meal option it provides, so I threw a pot on today. My friend Jennifer sent me a recipe for some lentil soup that she actually pureed for her son to eat, and he loved it! This recipe has to be a winner to pass that kind of critique. Plus I am falling in love with lentils! I add them to my chili all the time and keep increasing the amount I add because I can't get enough of them, so when I saw this recipe I was super excited to try it.

I modified the recipe to keep with my plant based lifestyle, my effort to cut oil out of my diet as much as possible, and based on what was readily available in my fridge and pantry.

Ingredients:
1/8 c vegetable broth
1/2 c sweet onion, chopped
1 c carrots, peeled and chopped
1 potato, peeled and diced
1/2 c turnip, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1tsp minced canned/frozen garlic)
1 t crushed/minced fresh/frozen/canned ginger
1 c dried lentils (I used red lentils)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 quart vegetable broth
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried thyme
2 t cider vinegar


Method:

• Saute vegetables in 1/8 c vegetable broth 6-8 minutes, until onion is translucent, stirring frequently (add more vegetable broth if needed to prevent vegetables from sticking and burning, but avoid adding too much or your veggies will become soggy)
• Add garlic and lentils and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly
• Add broth, tomatoes, herbs and vinegar, and bring to a boil
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender
• Garnish with fresh herbs

Note: You may want to leave out herbs and vinegar until the end if you want to puree some for a baby. I always let my daughter eat food that had herbs in it, but you may find your baby doesn't like them or their stomach can't handle it

Thanks so much Jennifer for sharing this amazing recipe with me!