My Favorite Soup Recipe...Ever!

Back in my University years, I never used to like soups much. I figured that I would rather eat solid food than be slurping away on liquified meals. Now, soup is my favorite lunch and I regularly enjoy a variety of healthy soups and stews for lunch. What changed my mind?

I realized that there is no better way to eat a cartful of veggies in a hurry than by consuming soups! Although salads are also a great way to eat your veggies, I find it tiresome to eat a whole salad compared to soup. It`s a much more efficient way to give my body the nutrients it needs. Have I just gotten lazy? Or have I just found a better way to eat my veggies? 

 What was the turning point in my soup conversion? I believe the following recipe had to do with it! The combination of flavors in each bowl of this Indian Lentil Soup truly ignited my passion for soups. The medicinal properties of the soup also helped fuel my love of this soup. 

Turmeric alone is one of nature`s most powerful healers treating a myriad of diseases such as cancer, psoriasis and obesity. I`m not going to list all the other medicinal properties of this soup for fear of boring you to tears. Plus, I`d rather you head to the kitchen, cook up a batch and enjoy the yumminess of the soup and relish in the fact that you are doing your body good without dwelling on the exact details. Go on, head to the kitchen...you probably have all the ingredients you need, it will only take you less than half an hour to make and you can enjoy it for at least a few days...that is unless everyone else in the family finds out about this delish dish!

Indian Lentil soup

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, chopped fine

1 celery stem chopped fine

1 medium carrot, chopped fine

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp curry powder

1 cup red lentils

3 ½ cups vegetable stock

1tbsp of chili sauce or 1 tsp hot pepper purée

1 medium tomato

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped or 2 frozen cubes

1 tbsp lemon juice

Roast vegetables in oil in soup pot until softened, approx. 5 minutes. Add spices and roast for a few more minutes. Add stock & lentils. Bring to a boil then simmer for 25 minutes.  Shut off heat. Carefully blend hot soup in soup pot with hand blender. Add last 4 ingredients, combine, then shut off lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy!