Deesdeeds

You will love these soup recipes if you like to dine light. These will fill you up and nurture you at the same time and they also make incredible entrées. Enjoy!

1. Lentil Soup:

This will be your favorite during winter season, a deliciously warm packed meal.  

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp curry powder
•  ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup brown or green lentils
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt, more to taste
• Pinch red pepper flakes
•  Freshly ground black pepper
•  1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale
•  Juice of ½ to 1 medium lemon, to taste

Instructions:

• Warm the olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
• Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds.
• Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stir often.
• Pour in the lentils, broth and the water.
•  Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
• Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
• Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender.
•  Pour the puréed soup back into the pot and add the chopped greens.
•  Cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking.
• Remove the pot from heat and stir in the juice of half of a lemon. Serve immediately.

2. Spinach Cream Soup

A great source of iron and protein, this soup is also guaranteed to fill you up and nurture at the same time.

Blending in 1/4 cup of blanched almonds or raw cashews creams up this blend.Be sure to soak the nuts in the cooked soup and blend thoroughly to ensure the smoothest consistency.

 .       Servings: 5 – 6

Tips:

1. Avoid adding more spinach as it can make your soup watery instead of creamy.
2. If you’d like to make your own vegetable broth, check out this quick and easy recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 small garlic head
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup  finely chopped green onions
• 1 cup sliced red onion
•  Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 4 cups vegetable
• 2 cups firmly packed baby spinach
• 1/4 cup blanched slivered raw almonds or 1/4 cup  raw cashews, soaked freshly
• black pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 ̊F (180 ̊C).
• Cut off the top of the head of garlic, wrap the bulb in aluminum foil, and roast it on a baking sheet for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender.
• Allow the bulb to cool and then squeeze the garlic pulp out of the husks.
• This should yield 2 tablespoons or more of roasted garlic. Set aside.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan.
• Add the green onions, red onion, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and saute for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
• Add the celery, zucchini, and parsley and sauté for 5 minutes more.
• Stir in the roasted garlic and the vegetable broth. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the spinach and simmer for 5 minutes more.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the soup to cool somewhat.
• Stir in the nuts.
• Pour the soup into your blender in batches and puree on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
• Return the soup to the saucepan and warm over medium-low heat.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

3. Green Pea – Potato Soup:

This is soup with over 14 grams of protein and 12 grams of fibre per serving – not too bad for a soup that’s normally a bowl of carbs.

I prefer texture in this soup which is why I only place half of the potatoes in a blender and I leave the rest intact. This results in a delicious creamy consistency.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp coconut oil (or other oil)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds (optional, but recommended)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cups diced Yukon Gold potato (about 1.4 pounds)
• 1 cup uncooked green split peas, rinsed
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, or to taste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8-1/4 cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

• Add oil to a large pot and sauté the garlic and mustard seeds for a few minutes over medium-high heat until the mustard seeds begin to pop.
• Add in the onion and sauté for another 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
• Add the celery, potato, split peas, broth, and spices. Stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil and simmer on low-medium heat uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until the split peas are cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
• With a ladle, carefully transfer about 3 cups of the soup into a blender.
• Starting at a low speed, puree the soup until smooth and pour it back into the pot and stir.  
• Cook for 5 minutes and then serve immediately with fresh chives and a pinch of smoked paprika.

Did you try any of these recipes? Please let me know what your experience was like in the comments section.