warming curry, lentil and kale soup

The benefits of legumes is far reaching and after spending hours reading nutrition and health books, it’s hard not to run to my kitchen and start cooking some lentils!

According to Ocean Robbins, author of 31 Day Revolution, the legume family includes all beans, peas, lentils and soy products and are ‘one of the most nutrient dense foods around. With loads of fiber, protein, iron and folate, these nutritional superstars will rock your world.’ (31 Day Revolution, Ocean Robbins, 2018, pg. 265).

Here is a recipe to start you off.

Curried Lentil, Kale and Coconut Milk Soup

This is one of my new favorite winter recipes! It’s easy to make and very satisfying on a cold day. Thank you to Roots Café in Steamboat Springs for the inspiration. 

Ingredients

1 onion diced finely

2 cloves of garlic diced finely

3 carrots – peeled and chopped

2 cups of uncooked green lentils (ideally soaked for 48 hours and then rinsed)

Veggie stock

1 can (15 oz) of coconut milk

½ head of finely chopped kale

Salt and pepper to taste

Creating the Magic!

Drizzle some olive oil in a large saucepan.  Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped carrot and continue to sauté for another couple of minutes. Add the lentils and enough water/stock to over the lentils by at least an inch. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes or until they are cooked (I like my lentils ‘al dente’ so that they still have a little bite to them and are not mushy). Add 1 can of coconut milk, chopped kale and curry powder. Bring the soup to a bowl and then simmer for about 20 minutes. Add more water if the soup looks too thick.  Curry powders tend to differ in strength so I would start with 1 teaspoon and then adjust to your taste.