Still Struggling to Trust the Carbs? Step out with this lentil soup!

Another soup recipe?!

Struggling to step out of your comfort zone and try new foods? Carbs still not safe? Selecting foods you can justify by their nutritional value can be quite helpful to get you started. Take lentil soup, for instance. Knowing that lentils are good for you—a great source of protein, oh-so-satisfying fiber, as well as carbohydrate—may get you through. And remembering that carbohydrate is a necessary nutrient, which fuels our active (and sedentary) bodies.

Lentils are also a valuable  source of iron, thiamin, and folate. Being inexpensive, easy to prepare, tasty and versatile places them high on my list of ingredients to keep on hand.

And once you try this soup, I’m sure you’ll be hooked, even if you’ve never liked lentils before. Lentils come in all colors and sizes, (the so-called red ones which really look orange are a lot lower in fiber) and are interchangeable in lentil recipes. By the way, this soup, by itself, is not an adequate meal. But serve with a salad (with nuts and dried fruit, perhaps) and some bread for a healthy, balanced, and delicious dinner! This one is sure to please.

Grilling just isn't an option these days!

Lentil Soup (adapted from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book)
Serves 8

2 Tbsps. olive or vegetable oil

2 large onion, chopped

3 carrots, sliced

¾ tsp. oregano

¾ tsp. thyme leaves

1 28 oz. can tomatoes with their juice, coarsely chopped

7 cups broth/stock (chicken, beef or vegetable, regular or reduced sodium)

1 ½ (or 2*) cups dried lentils ( brown or yellow)

½ tsp. salt (omit if using prepared commercial broth/stock)

6 oz. dry white wine

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

• In a large stockpot heat oil and sauté the onions, carrots, oregano and thyme, stirring, for about 5 mins.

• Add tomatoes, broth and lentils and bring to a boil.

• Reduce heat and cover, simmering for an hour. Lentils should be tender.

• Add the salt (optional), wine, and parsley, and simmer the soup for a few more minutes.

• Serve and enjoy!

PS: Looking for another chance to try out lentils? Visit my old post http://dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2010/11/lemony-lentil-stew.html for a delectable lemony lentil stew.

 *(use 2 cups to count as a protein, if following an exchange plan.)

Back to Your Roots. Simple Planning and Cooking to Keep You on Track.

I’m driving home from work. It’s 6:30 PM. And I’m hungry, very hungry. I get stuck in rush hour traffic and now I’m starving. Unless I know that the hired help will have dinner ready for me when I get home, my thoughts wander to take out. And since I don’t have hired help awaiting my return, I know I’d better have a plan in place for dinner. Because I need immediate gratification. And I won't feel good eating out too frequently, especially when I'm hungry and vulnerable.

Nutrition knowledge is great. But if the groundwork isn’t laid to prepare a meal, even to mentally prep for eating, your knowledge will get you nowhere. Yes, even nutritionists can be impulsive if they fail to plan. Cooking in advance helps enormously. Soups and stews work like a dream—they freeze and reheat well, contain lots of satisfying ingredients in one bowl, with only one pot to clean up! And they typically make enough for multiple meals, so leftovers can be enjoyed for many days.

Tonight’s dinner (mentally prepared during my lunch break) was leftover Back to Your Roots soup—a root vegetable puree that is delectable, even reheated from the freezer.  It is total comfort food, creamy and satisfying, but relatively low in saturated fat (given the number of servings it makes). Don’t let the half and half scare you. The bulk of the soup is pureed yummy veggies. The cream is a tiny morsel of this meal! And so satisfying and filling.

Tonight, I served it with a small omelet. I arrival home from work at 7 PM. Dinner? Served at 7:20 PM. And yes, it beats fast food and take-out any day of the week! I had never tried many of these vegetables yet they were a perfect combination of flavors! This is now an absolute favorite, guaranteed to please.

Back to Your Roots Soup (makes 10 generous servings)

(adapted from New England Soup Factory Cookbook by Marjorie Druker)

Ingredients

3 Tbsps. oil (olive or canola, or  butter)

3 whole cloves garlic, peeled

1 large onion, peeled and diced

2 ribs celery, diced

4 large carrots, peeled and sliced

4 parsnips, peeled and sliced

1 large turnip or rutabaga, peeled and cut in chunks

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 bulb celeriac, peeled and cut in chunks

12 cups stock (chicken, vegetable, regular or reduced sodium cartons work well). Some water can be substituted as well.

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

2 cups half and half

salt and pepper to taste (skip the salt if using regular stock versus reduced sodium)

Heat oil (or butter) over medium heat. Add garlic, onion ,celery, carrots, and parsnips. Saute about 8 minutes. Add turnip, sweet potato, celeriac, and stock.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.

Simmer until vegetables are soft and tender, about 40 minutes.

Remove from heat, adding nutmeg.

Puree soup with a hand blender until smooth (those wand-like devices that save you the trouble of pouring scalding soup into the food processor).

Add the half and half and stir.

Savor every spoonful! And let me know what you think.

I have a few other soup favorites I'd be glad to share--just say the word!

Chili In a Storm.

Easy soups you can feel good about eating.


Maybe it was the two feet of snow, and rather frigid temperature leaving me housebound Monday. The result was a hearty vegetarian chili (and cornbread, of course). By today, with the temperatures balmy in the 50’s (F) you might be expecting gazpacho. But instead, a favorite, unusual, tangy, spicy winter squash and chickpea delight was prepared. And in between, were a pureed root vegetable comfort soup and my Friday tradition of chicken soup with matzah balls.

It’s hard to decide which to cover in this post, and upcoming, posts. They are each so unique, and post worthy!

Okay, I suppose I’ll start with the chili, (though not technically a soup given how thick it is) because of its great taste and nutritional value. And, it’s a great excuse to  make cornbread.

The recipe was adapted (it’s hard to not add my own touches, you realize) from an old favorite vegetarian cookbook, Moosewood, by Mollie Katzen. It’s tattered, stained, with broken spine, having been used since I was 19! Perhaps my first cookbook ever, thanks to Rebecca who gave it to me in college, with whom I’m still friends!

What’s so great about chili?

Where shall I start?

It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s cheap. High fiber. Vegetarian. Virtually no saturated fat. And did I mention it tastes good, too? And it’s quite satisfying, especially topped with some shredded cheese (and accompanied by a slice of cornbread). It also freezes well, so for those of you who are cooking for one or two, portion the leftovers into containers and serve it another day. Unlike the soups mentioned above, this recipe is more modest in size, making only 5-6 portions. Living alone? Just the two of you? It’s the perfect dish to freeze for another meal, with leftovers for lunch as well. (Thanks to RHA who requested "simple to prep, without exotic ingredients, to serve under 6 people". Sure hope you joined as a follower now!)

Chili in the Storm (serves 5-6)

Ingredients

2-3 Tbsps. oil (to sauté)

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 ½ cups chopped onion (2 large should do it)

1 cup chopped peppers (any color)

3 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup raw bulgur wheat

1 cup water (or more if you prefer chili less thick)

1 can tomato paste

2 cans diced tomatoes, drained

4 large carrots, cut in thick slices

4 tsps. chili powder

3 ½ tsps cumin

4 tsps. oregano

cayenne to taste (beware—hot stuff!)

3 tbsps. red wine



In a large pot, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic until translucent.

Add carrots and peppers and cook until tender.

Add all remaining ingredients, stir, and cover.
Cook about 45 mins. Add additional water if desired.

Top with goat or shredded cheese, and serve with cornbread or a few tortilla chips.

Note: Chili can be made with low salt canned tomato products and beans, as well as dry beans to dramatically reduce the sodium. I use the canned strictly for a quick and easy meal, but if you are home on a stormy day, consider cooking dried beans according to package directions (use about 2 ½ cups dry beans, cooked, for this recipe). Texturally, it’s a whole other beast—but tastes just fine without!

Enjoy!


Followers: Please email me along with your screen name for cornbread recipe!