This spring seems to be taking its time to arrive! Here you can barely feel the change of season and in the evening you still crave a warm meal! And here come my beloved soups to the rescue! I literally adore them and always imagine different ones to experiment with better and healthier comfort food! Usually, I make them with seasonal vegetables, especially spinach, chard, artichokes, carrots, fennel, etc., but I don’t shy away from preparing them with a good variety of legumes, perfect for balancing periods of high calorie intake. When you add spices like ginger and little pearls precious for health such as oil seeds and specifically flaxseeds, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6), the result can only be excellent!
All “vegetarian” recipes are without meat and/or fish (N.B. there may be the use of other animal protein foods, such as eggs and cheese).
CURIOSITY: Did you know that red lentils, among many virtues, contain very little fat (and they’re unsaturated, which means good fats rich in Omega 3) and that they’re entirely cholesterol-free? They’re more than suitable for a balanced diet for everyone, but especially for children at risk of being overweight. Thanks to their balanced composition of carbohydrates, fibers, and proteins, they help keep blood sugar and thus insulin in check, which is needed to metabolize sugars: this hormone, if present in excess, causes fat accumulation and predisposes to inflammatory states and diabetes. They also contain good amounts of fibers that can regulate the intestine, and micronutrients such as iron, phosphorus, potassium, and B vitamins for the benefit of metabolism.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups Red split lentils
- 3 3/4 cups Vegetable broth
- 1 Onion
- 1 teaspoon Curry
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger
- to taste Extra virgin olive oil
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
- 1/4 cup Flaxseeds
- 1 bunch Parsley
- to taste Croutons
- to taste Extra virgin olive oil
- to taste Pecorino cheese (grated)
Preparation:
Start by rinsing your lentils thoroughly under running water (fig. 1).
In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion in a drizzle of oil. Add the red lentils and toast them for 1/2′. Cover with hot vegetable broth until the lentils are covered. Bring to a boil and continue cooking over low heat for 15′, or according to the cooking times on your package. Once cooked, the lentils should fall apart. Turn off the heat, adjust the salt and pepper, and let them drain from their water (fig. 2
Blend the lentils with an immersion blender, then season by adding curry, turmeric powder, freshly grated ginger, and chives. Put them back on the heat for another 5′ and serve hot with some croutons, flakes of parmesan, a handful of flaxseeds, and some fresh parsley leaves. And voilà… your red lentil soup with ginger and flaxseeds is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from Fefe’s kitchen!
