Every year on New Years Day I prepare a huge pot of soup, it is an old ancient roman custom that is supposed to bring you good luck and good fortune in the new year. A few days ago a friend of mine mentioned that she makes a Lentil soup each year as part of a Czech tradition, I asked her what she usually put in her soup and decided that it would the perfect recipe for the new year!
This soup also serves another purpose, it will kick off my 21 day cleansing fast! A few friends and I decided that we wanted to start the year off on a clean and positive slate, we wanted to focus on cleansing our mind, body and spirit. During these 21 days we will be reading “21-day Consciousness Cleanse” by Debbie Ford and our diet will consist of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and quality oils. No meat, sugars, dairy, leavened bread, fried foods, solid fats, processed foods or carbonated beverages. I do love my butter, sweets and meat, but it is only 21 days, I can do this. I am up for the challenge and the opportunity to create brand new dishes and explore old ones. I will post my progress and the dishes I make during my fast, and if you have a few recipes please feel free to share. First up Lentil Soup:
Lentil Soup
1 tbsn olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 celery root, peeled and diced
2 red potatoes, diced
1 can crushed tomatoes (or chopped fresh plum tomatoes, maybe 3)
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh Spinach, thinly sliced
Parsley, chopped
8 cups water
You will need a big pot! Soak the lentils in water over night (if using dried).
In large soup pot heat oil over medium heat, add onion, garlic, carrots,celery, celery root and potatoes cook for about 5 minutes.
Then add tomatoes and lentils and spices, salt and pepper, stir.
Add enough water to cover everything in the pot (about 8 cups), turn up heat to high, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about an hour.
Add spinach and let wilt in soup (about 5 minutes). Add parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
YUM!
Your soup looks wonderful!!!! I will probably put spinach in my next one too, looks great though
N
Hi, I will try your recipe, it looks great. Do you have any recipe’s for red lentils?
This will make an excellent recipe for a garden because I think we can grow all of these. I have never grown lentils but I will now look into it. I think they are beans like any other bean? Many thanks, this will be good for us on these rainy days. Peace,