Warm your body and boost energy with a savory cup of red lentil soup!
Red lentils are an excellent source of iron, helping to transport oxygen in your body, increasing energy production and metabolism.
These small legumes are high in cholesterol-lowering fiber, folate and magnesium, significantly reducing the risk of heart disease.
Swiss chard adds crisp texture and vitamins to this recipe. Chard contains 300% of the daily recommended vitamin K, which has demonstrated tremendous potential for preventing and supporting recovery from many types of cancer, especially liver and lung cancer.
Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 cups dried red lentils
10 cups cold water
2 medium red onions
2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz torn Swiss chard leaves
4 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground coriander
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil
Grated zest of ½ lemon
Garnish with 4 lemons, cut into wedges
Salt and black pepper
Preparation
1. Wash the lentils in plenty of cold water. Place in a large saucepan with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 35 minutes or until soft. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface during cooking.
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove about half the lentils from the cooking liquid and set aside in a bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt to the lentils and water in the pan and liquify using a stick blender or place in a food processor. Return the reserved lentils to the soup.
3. Peel the red onions, halve and thinly slice them. Place a frying pan over a medium heat, add the olive oil and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes, until the onions soften and become translucent.
4. Meanwhile, remove and discard the large stems from the Swiss chard. Wash and rinse the leaves thoroughly, then chop them roughly. Do the same with the cilantro, leaving a few whole leaves for garnish later.
5. Mix the cooked onions, chard leaves and chopped cilantro into the lentil soup and season with the cumin, cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste. Reheat the soup and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
6. Mince the garlic and blend with dried coriander seed. Melt the butter gently in a small saucepan over a medium heat, add the garlic and coriander and sauté for 2 minutes, until the garlic starts to color slightly. Stir this into the soup, remove the pot from the stove and cover with a lid. Leave the soup to infuse for 5 minutes before serving.
7. Serve garnished with lemon zest and cilantro leaves and pass lemon wedges to squeeze into their soup just before enjoying.
Variation: Add squash and carrots for a heartier soup.
Create a healthy body without sacrificing flavor!
