We have the fondest memories of coming home to our Mom’s homemade soup. She always creates great, hearty soups from scratch, and once a week was soup night at our house. We’d come home from a long day of school followed by soccer practice, and we were always so hungry when we got home that we could barely wait to dive in to what we knew would be a delicious meal. Her soups are always hearty and super satisfying, yet packed with veggies. One of our faves was (and still is!) her Lentil Soup, so this Lentil Vegetable Soup is inspired by it. And it’s great if you’re trying to add more vegetarian meals to your repertoire or if you’re in search of a great meal for Meatless Monday!
Psst…
Love comfort food, but hate the calories and what it does to your waistline? Try some of these lightened-up comfort food recipes:
Creamy Cauliflower Mac ‘n Cheese
Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce and Parmesan Cheese
This soup is warm and comforting. And unlike many stews and casseroles that are packed with fat and calories and may contribute to weight gain as they rely on fatty cuts of meat, lots of cheese or butter to make them flavorful, this soup is only 194 calories! The red lentils in this recipe break down during cooking to create a thick and creamy soup—without any added fat (or the calories that come with it!). Lentils are rich in fiber and protein, so they‘re great for weight loss since they keep you satisfied until your next meal. Not only that, lentils, beans, and other legumes are an inexpensive (and healthy!) way to add protein to a dish without any meat.
More nutritional bonuses?
The flavorful spice, turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, is a potent antioxidant with powerful anti-inflammatory properties.¹ It has been shown to support cognitive function, ease bloating and gas caused by indigestion, and help stabilize blood glucose levels.² With its savory flavor and bright yellow color, turmeric powder makes a great addition to your list of pantry staples! Serve this soup with a green salad on the side for a complete and healthy meal!
Lentil Vegetable Soup
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
1 ½ cups red lentils
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. cumin powder
1 heaping tsp. Mexican oregano*
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, diced
5 cups water
Sliced green onions for garnish, optional
Directions:
Clean lentils by discarding any moldy beans or small rocks, then rinse until the dirty water runs clear. In a clean bowl, add lentils and cover with filtered water; soak overnight.
Rinse and drain lentils. In a medium pot, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender. While the lentils are cooking, keep the pot partially covered and stir occasionally. Enjoy!
*Another variety of oregano can be substituted
Nutrition Facts: 194 Calories, 1 g Fat, 0 g Saturated Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 231 mg Sodium, 34 g Carbohydrate, 7 g Fiber, 2 g Sugar, 13 g Protein
- 1 ½ cups red lentils
- 1 tsp. turmeric powder
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbs. cumin powder
- 1 heaping tsp. Mexican oregano*
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 5 cups water
- Sliced green onions for garnish, optional
- Clean lentils by discarding any moldy beans or small rocks, then rinse until the dirty water runs clear. In a clean bowl, add lentils and cover with filtered water; soak overnight.
- Rinse and drain lentils. In a medium pot, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender. While the lentils are cooking, keep the pot partially covered and stir occasionally. Enjoy! *Another variety of oregano can be substituted
Sources:
¹https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/turmeric
²http://draxe.com/turmeric-health-benefits/
Thank you for sharing this article! The lentil soup recipe is very helpful.
May the Lord continues blessing you!