by Christine Hunt
A few weeks ago I was on Whidbey Island, WA for some training and stayed a night with some friends who served this delicious Lentil Soup. Lentils, as most beans and legumes, are high in protein providing 18 grams per 1 cup serving.
And soups are filling, high in fiber, vitamins and minerals but low in calories for those of you who are looking to lose weight.
This recipe uses vinegar which gives it a light, tangy taste which I loved. If you are not a fan of vinegar, you may want to start with a lesser amount, taste, then add more to your liking. It also has a little bit of ham for flavor. You may choose to include it or not
Serve this with a green salad and perhaps some whole grain bread and it is a quick, filling meal for your family or a friendly gathering.
NOTE: To make it more filling try adding in a bit of whole grain rice to the recipe or spoon the soup over the rice in a bowl to make a heartier meal. You may also add some greens like spinach, kale or chard to the recipe to meet your weekly greens quota.
To your health!
Lentil Soup (German “Linsen Soupe”)
This recipe makes a large pot full of delicious soup. It also freezes well.
Ingredients:
16 oz lentils (or 3.5 cups)
1 lb. ham, cubed (or you can use leftovers or ham hocks)
1 cup onion, diced
2 cups carrot, chopped
1.5 c. tomato, chopped (canned is okay)
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
6 Tbs. butter
6 Tbs. flour
2 cans beef bouillon soup (condensed, undiluted)
1/4 c. vinegar (either red wine vinegar or plain white)
Directions:
Place lentils and ham in a large soup pot along with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer covered for about 1.5 hours.
Add the onion, carrot, tomato and celery. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the veggies are almost cooked.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, prepare the final part: Melt the butter and remove from the heat. Stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the bouillon. Add vinegar and bring to boiling, stirring. Add this to the soup. Cook over low heat until well blended and all the veggies are done. if necessary, add a little bit of salt.
Enjoy!
