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| Photo Credit: Nora Kuby, www.prideandvegudice.com |
This soup has warm, earthy tones of cumin and thyme. It's easy to make, and yields extra portions for leftovers or freezing. Pair this smooth-yet-rustic soup with a whole-grain bread or brown rice and a light salad.
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or splash of water for oil-free version)
2 cups onion, diced
1 1/2 cups celercy, diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 - 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup dried red lentils
3 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 cups zucchini or tomatoes, chopped (I used tomatoes)
3 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 - 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
In a large soup pot on medium heat, add oil or water, onion, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, mustard seed, cumin seeds, paprika, oregano, and thyme and stir to combine. Cover and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Rinse lentils. Add lentils and 21⁄2 cups chickpeas (reserve remaining 1 cup), zucchini or tomatoes, stock, water, and bay leaves and stir to com- bine. Increase heat to bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until lentils are completely softened. Remove bay leaves. Stir in 1⁄4 cup lemon juice, then using a hand blender, purée the soup, keeping some texture. Stir in remaining 1 cup chickpeas. Season with additional sea salt, pepper, and lemon juice if desired, and serve. Makes 6-8 servings.
