Winter and lockdown are upon us once more. Yes, for those of you that don’t know, the UK is back in lockdown again. Therefore I know my family and I are in need of healthy and hearty recipes to keep us warm during this time. Soup is one of the best ways to fill up with loads of veggies without telling the family.
In our household we have a fussy eater or two. If I blend the soup together then no-one can avoid the nutrients. This soup recipe is based on my tomato, red lentil and basil soup. It’s delicious and it’s another way to play ‘hide the vegetables’. All I have done is to remove the basil and add a few yummy spices like ginger and turmeric. These spices are also great for keeping us well during the winter season. So this is definitely a winter wellness soup.
Equipment needed
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Slow cooker
- Teaspoon
- Food processor
- Measuring jug
Ingredients
- Onions x 1
- Garlic x 1 – 2 cloves
- Ginger x 1 inch piece
- Turmeric x 2 centimetre piece
- Mild or hot chilli powder x 1tsp or chillies x 1 – 2
- Tomatoes x 2 400g tins
- Red pepper x 2
- Red lentils x 300g
- Vegetable or chicken stock or bone broth x 1 litre
- Dried mixed herbs x 1 tsp
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Peel and roughly chop the onions, garlic, ginger and turmeric.
- If using a chilli, remove the stalk and seeds (if you want to) then slice.
- Then add these to the slow cooker.
- Next add in the red lentils, vegetable stock, chicken stock or bone broth, dried mixed herbs and tomatoes to the pot.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn the slow cooker on low for eight hours or on high for four hours.
- An hour before the end of cooking time, turn the slow cooker off and leave the soup to cool.
- Once it has cooled slightly but not completely, add into the food processor.
- The process may need to be done in two batches as the food processor may not be big enough for all the soup. Use the measuring jug if necessary.
- Put the soup back into the slow cooker and keep on ‘keep warm’ until ready to serve.
- Finally, serve with bread or wraps and enjoy.
Spicy Tomato, Red Pepper and Lentil Soup was very well received by my little family. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by this as one of us isn’t a great ginger nor spice fan. Plates were cleaned by the end of meal ready to put back into the cupboards (only joking!). On a more serious note, you could make a large batch of this soup and freeze it. Then there will be leftovers for another occasion. However you decide to eat or drink this dish, as always, please enjoy.
Googies Kitchen Life 