Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Still May, still cold. This shift in cold weather has meant those pesky winter colds and coughs are back and I have fallen victim to the sore throat and chest cough that comes with it. As a result, all the tea and soup!

This recipe come from the Oh She Glows cookbook which I'm slowly but surely cooking my way through. I've previously made the curry and cauliflower stew and peanut vegetable stew which were amazing so was excited to try something new, especially when it's called 'on the mend soup'. Just what I need.

 

The onion and garlic are sauteed until translucent. Spices and all the peppers are added: cumin, cayenne, paprika and chilli powder. So much spice, it's great. Allow the spices to simmer a bit before adding the vegetable broth (you could use chicken broth too if you're not going veggie), diced tomatoes, red lentils, and carrots.

All the work is done now, allow the soup to come to a boil and then simmer until the lentils are cooked through. The final stage is adding some chopped kale or spinach while the soup is still hot. The leaves will wilt but not overcook.

 

While I hope you enjoy this soup, I think I hope more that you're already warm and enjoying iced coffee in the sun.

Recipe

• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne peper
• 5-6 cups vegetable broth
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 cup of carrots, chopped
• 1 cup red lentils, uncooked
• 2 cup chopped spinach or kale

1. In a large pot, heat the coconut oil. Saute the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.
2. Add the spices and celery. Cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the broth, carrots and red lentils. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
4. Cook until the carrots are soft and the lentils are cooked.
5. Stir in the spinach (or kale) while the soup is still hot so it wilts but doesn't overcook. 
6. Enjoy not on a warm spring day but only when it's grey and raining. 

Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers

I'm not a vegetarian. I love burgers and steaks and fried chicken but I've also learned to eat my vegetables. This is not to say I don't respect the meatless lifestyle and I know it works for a lot of people but I need me some iron. I do enjoy making vegetarian dishes though, especially when going to dinners with veggie friends or potlucks.

I've discovered that in addition to carrots and broccoli, I actually enjoy a lot of vegetables like zucchini, green beans, eggplant, tomatoes (fruit?) and sweet potatoes (not just as fries either).

This recipe hails from a couple years ago when I started cooking for myself more often and in a healthier fashion. The recipe originally called for a blackberry salsa but I found regular salsa, hummus or yogurt pairs well too.

 

Let's begin. Quinoa is cooked according to instructions in one pot while diced sweet potatoes are cooked in another. The timing usually works out so that they are both done at the same time. Half of a red onion and a clove of garlic can be chopped while everything cooks and a can of black or kidney beans should be drained and rinsed. Black beans are apparently harder to come by in the UK so I used kidney beans this time. 

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain any excess water and rinse in cold water to help cool faster. Mash with a potato masher or large fork. Add in the red onion, quinoa, some cumin and beans. Mix until all ingredients are combined. At this point, the mixture is still hot so I put it in the fridge to chill.

 

 When the mixture is no longer hot to the touch, form into patties. These can be baked in the oven, lightly fried in skillet or grilled outdoors. The patties can also be made ahead of time for a barbecue, kept refrigerated until party time.

 

I tried these with sliced avocado instead of any sauce and it was a great addition! Eat with a fork or sandwiched in a fluffy roll.

 

Recipe

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 medium sweet potato (or 2 small), peeled and diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 can kidney (or black) beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon cumin

1. In a small saucepan, cook the quinoa according to instructions (usually 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water).
2. In a larger pot, cook the diced sweet potato by covering with water and bringing to a boil. Cook until the sweet potato is tender and can be pierced with a fork.
3. Drain the sweet potatoes and rinse with cold water. Return them to the pot and mash with a potato masher or fork.
4. Stir the cooked quinoa, beans (drained and rinsed), chopped onion, garlic and cumin into the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir until everything is mixed together.
5. Allow the mix to cool until you can easily handle without burning yourself.
6. Form into patties and lay on a baking sheet (if baking, otherwise, heat oil in a frying pan and brown on each side like you would for pancakes or fritters). 
7. Bake at 250 for 10 minutes, turn patties over and bake for another 10 minutes. 
8. Serve with salsa, jam, yogurt or avocado!