Luscious Lentil Soup – Feeling Groovy

Way back when around 1976 my current buddy and past double-X-sister-in-law, Elizabeth Joffe, taught me how to make lentil soup. Those were the hippie days of our youth and any new recipe I could master was a welcome addition to a very short list. I’ve long since lost that exact rendition but think I may be in the ball park with this current incarnation. While looking through old newspaper clippings, I stumbled on a recipe for Luscious Lentil Soup, which Susan Schwartz adapted from the prolific Norene Gilletz‘s book, “Healthy Helpings” . The following is an adaptation of the Gazette’s adaptation.

Luscious Lentil Soup

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c brown or Puy lentils, rinsed and drained
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 green pepper diced – optional
• 1 28 oz can tomatoes, chopped, or 5-6 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• about 6 c water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 T miso or marmite (optional)
• sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar
• 2 T fresh basil
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped – optional
• juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 c flat leaf parsley, chopped

You know the drill…heat the olive oil in a large soup pot, soften the onion until golden, for about 5-10 minutes, covered, on low heat. Saute 2 minutes more after adding the garlic. Then add all the other ingredients except for the sea salt, pepper, sugar, lemon and the parsley. Simmer for about 45 minutes, adding the miso or marmite for colour and flavour. Taste as you add salt, pepper and sugar to get the right amounts. When done add the lemon, then the parsley to garnish.

Sprinkle some grated parmesan on top and enjoy with a crusty bread and a green salad on a rainy fall day. You can serve the soup in blended form as well, adding some croutons.

Luscious Lentil Soup Print Ready Recipe

 

 

In case you’re looking for good reasons to make this soup, click on the links above, the highlighted words in the ingredient list, for nutritional information. Each ingredient tries to outdo the next in sheer health value. Kids, are you paying attention? If you prefer blended soups you can use a hand held or a countertop blender for a smooth consistency. This soup freezes well – without the parsley & parmesan toppings.

In case you are contemplating starting your own blog, and you happen to be over 50, here are 10 humourous tips to get you on the right track.

Thanks to Liz Joffe for early recipe sharing and for numerous good tips as this blog progresses.

Thanks to Susan Schwartz for writing the Luscious Lentil Soup recipe in the Gazette in 2009. And for today’s squash soup recipe – looks great.

Thanks to Norene Gilletz as well. You and your cookbooks have had a big impact on our community over many years.