Community. Connection. Soup

So I am sitting here watching the snow fall outside my window and getting ready for an “arctic deep freeze” and a big snowstorm this weekend so naturally my thoughts come to soup.

Well if I am completely honest I started this post on Thursday of last week. It is now Wednesday and after the brutal murder of Alex Pretti this weekend it feels so hard and unimportant and trivial to be talking about soup. But again, I am reminded of my word and my last post GIFT and remember that I can give my gift to you and we can be connected and maybe comforted. Community. Connection. Soup. I can also give the gift of a donation to help those in need in Minnesota.)

Last year I put out a post detailing my deep love of soup and gave a recipe for my favorite lentil soup. As I mentioned in that post, soup is one of my favorite things to cook. It’s tasty, versatile, inexpensive and gets even better the next day. It also gives you a chance to be creative. I like to think of my recipe as a “guideline.” You can use what you have in your fridge and pantry. It teaches you how to season, as you need to cook the soup in stages, layering flavors, tasting as you go. It also tastes even better the next day. (I am not the biggest fan of leftovers but soup is my exception!)

I am offering another lentil soup recipe for you to try. Lentils are a favorite of mine as they are quick cooking, loaded with protein and really inexpensive. This one uses red lentils which are very very quick cooking, and they don’t hold their shape like other lentils so they are perfect to make a creamy soup… without cream! You can also use split peas for this soup, it just might need a little more cooking time.

Regarding stock. While I have made homemade stock and it is definitely not difficult, I have made soup with just water, or boxed broth, as I have mentioned my new favorite is Better than Bouillon. I just add a spoonful of that to my soup base and the flavor really sings. Whatever soup you decide to make, please make sure of another important thing. Use spices liberally and PLEASE make sure they are FRESH! If you can buy your spices in bulk that’s awesome, so you can buy just what you need. But if not, here is a trick to help you keep your spices fresh. When you buy a new jar, take a sharpie and write the month and year on the bottle. That way you can see when you opened it. Also, smell your spices. If you open a jar that is 6 months old and you can’t tell what spice it is….. toss it. But that is such a waste you say? Nope. What is a waste is putting all that work into making soup and then adding zero flavor to the pot!

And again I will give you my 2 pro tips: make sure you taste your soup, as I like to say: “taste early and often.” And what is the secret ingredient that will give your soup just the pop it needs? Salt is important, yes, but even more important is a splash or squeeze of acid. Vinegar, hot sauce, lemon juice…. You’re welcome!

my gift to you …

Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

This is a yummy warming, good for you soup made with red lentils which cook quickly, fall apart and become creamy.

Extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 big carrot, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1-2 sweet potatoes (about 1 lb.), peeled and diced

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 big garlic cloves, minced

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (depends how spicy you like it)

1 cup red lentils (or split peas)

1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes

2 cups vegetable stock* (see note!)

3 cups chopped kale (or a bag of frozen spinach or kale)

1 lime

salt and pepper, to taste

Set a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and let it heat up for a few minutes.
Add the paprika, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and red chili flakes in the oil. Let this cook for 2-3 minutes or until it begins to smell fragrant. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook another 8-10 minutes or until the veggies are softened, but not browned.
Add the lentils, tomatoes and vegetable stock. Add the sweet potato and another cup of water. Then add a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook at a low simmer, stirring occasionally for 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils and potatoes have softened. You may need to add more water every now and then if it gets too thick.
When the lentils are cooked, add in the kale and stir to combine. Cook for a few more minutes to let the kale soften into the stew. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. When the kale is softened, turn off the heat and squeeze in the juice from the lime. Stir to combine. Taste again and reseason if needed.

I hope this soup brings you comfort during these tough times, and maybe you can share it with someone you love or surprise someone with a “gift” of soup. Sending you all my deepest gratitude and wishing you peace.

Thank you for being here with me today and reading my ramblings. Please let me know if you liked today’s post by tapping the “heart”as it helps more people find me! Or you can add a comment if anything in particular resonated with you. I always enjoy hearing from you! I am so incredibly grateful for all of my readers and subscribers. All of your likes, comments, and notes are truly an inspiration to me!