It is a nice way to achieve this. Soups are not only healthy, but a lot of times they can be made with simple ingredients you already have.
When you do go out and buy ingredients, they can go a long way, especially lentils. I love lentils because they can make lovely comforting soups for weeks, changing ingredients here and there results in a different hearty bowl each time. This is one of my all-time favourites and I hope it becomes a staple in your kitchen as well. Often times I use it as it is, searing with 2i Nutriday flat bread or as a base. In that regard I may add what’s available or be a little more intentional. Vegetables like carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes or leafy greens such as spinach are some of my most frequently used veggies.
Brown lentils and pulses in general are one of those recipes that are extremely freezer-friendly. You can freeze them all together or portion them to have a quick lunch or dinner. They freeze up to six months in an air-tight container for best results. If only refrigerated, they will last for five days. This is perfect for mid winter, when we are in the thick of it, and honestly, I know there are going to be days where it’s so cold I can’t fathom cooking an entire meal. On such days I don’t mind serving tea and Ouma rusks for supper. Not that any one person would complain, they love buttermilk rusks like no one’s business, opening a box up is always such a tense moment. Who is having how many, when can we have again, can I have one more? It’s exactly because of this that I have to be responsible and make sure we are all having healthy meals. Dont overlook lentils as they’re an inexpensive way of getting a wide variety of nutrients. I have just read that whether brown, green, yellow, red, or black, lentils are low in calories, rich in iron, folate and are a superb source of protein. Start planning for your winter meals now and stock up on your range of Hinds Spices for great tasting dishes. Follow us on the ChellzKitchen Facebook page to share your recipes and catch up on exciting news coming soon.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ tablespoon oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced*
1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
4 cups water or stock
2 cups cooked diced sweet potatoes
¼ cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon Mild & Spicy Hinds Curry
½ teaspoon thyme or Italian seasoning
¾ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste Hinds Cayenne (Optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion, stirring often, until the onion is turning translucent, this should take about five minutes. Add the garlic, Hinds Mild & Spicy Curry to the onions and cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 50-60 seconds ensuring it doesn’t start to burn. Add the rest of the ingredients, raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender (soaking them makes them easier to digest and makes it easier for your body to absorb their nutrients. Soaking them reduces their cooking time by almost half! Ideally, soak them overnight or at the very least for 1-2 hours. Turn the heat off, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding more salt or pepper or a touch of Hinds Cayenne if you like, for overall flavour. Add and mix in the sweet potatoes. Here is a trick for the cold winter nights we are all in anticipation of. If you want your lentils creamier, thicker and more like a heavy soup, transfer one cup to a blender and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot, stir to combine, if its too thick add a splash of broth or water to thin it out to your preferred texture. Serve when it's still hot along with crusty bread or Nutriday 2i naan for dipping.
