A Healthy Lentil Soup Recipe to Try This Weekend

Michelle Levine | Holistic Health & Wellness Coach www.michlwellness.com @michlwellness

It’s as simple as this, once the leaves start to change colour, and there’s a nip in the air, it’s soup season! I love making a big batch of soup on the weekend and having meals for the week. Soup is such a great vehicle for veggies and protein. You can easily get in a good portion of your daily nutritional requirements, in just one serving! The key is adding in extra vegetables that may not be traditionally part of a recipe but complement it well.

This lentil soup recipe is just one example of how you can sneak in a bunch of extra veggies, into a traditional recipe. A “traditional” lentil soup is usually lentils, carrots, celery, onion, broth and diced tomatoes. This basic lentil soup is a great source of protein (fun fact, lentils are a GREAT source of plant-based protein) and a pretty good source of veggies. To really kick it up though, I like to add in a leafy green (like kale or spinach) right at the end of the cooking time to get in an extra boost of vitamins and fibre. I also sneak mushrooms into this recipe which creates a nice meaty feel to the soup.

This recipe is fully vegan, but you can also add in turkey or ham bone to get a nice smoky flavour in your broth.

Ingredients

• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• 3-4 carrots, chopped
• 2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 container of cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup of dried green lentils
• 4 and 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 bunch of kale, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Recipe

Directions:

1. Heat 1/2 tsp of olive oil on medium heat in a large pot. Add in the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are translucent.
2. Add in the cremini mushrooms, cover and cook until the juices release (2-3 minutes)
3. Add in the carrots, celery and your spices. Cover and cook 5 minutes.
4. Add in the lentils, cover and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add in your broth, lower the heat to medium-low and let the soup come to a low simmer.
6. Cook the soup for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are soft and some of the broth has absorbed.
7. Add in the chopped kale. Let your soup cook for another 10 minutes or so until the kale is soft.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Michelle Levine | Holistic Health & Wellness Coach | www.michlwellness.com

@michlwellness

Michelle Levine is a Holistic Health and Wellness Coach, a Personal Trainer, Group fitness instructor and lifestyle blogger. She strives to share easy tips for living your healthiest life, offering personalized meal planning, fitness classes, lifestyle tips, and one-on-one coaching. Find more of her recipes at michlwellness.com, and keep up with on social media @michlwellness.