Curried Lentil Soup

Hope this Tuesday finds you safe and well! I am enjoying making some soups and stews while the weather is rainy and chilly. I am also trying to use what I have so that I am not running to the store in a time where we need to be staying home as much as possible! This recipe is quick, easy, healthy, and adaptable to whatever beans or vegetables you have on hand. I waited until I needed to shop this week to pick up the dried apricots since I did not have them on hand. Probably just fine if you left them out too.

This recipe is another awesome recipe from the Healthy Kitchens Healthy Lives Conference I attended in February 2020! Auden McClure, MD, MPH, a Pediatrician and Chef presented this dish. She is director of Culinary Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchock Medical Center in New Hampshire. My thoughts, safe wishes and gratitude goes out to all the Physicians, Nurses, Healthcare workers and Hospital Staff everywhere. Thank you for all you do! And thank you to anyone who is working in those essential jobs and professions that keep us safe and healthy!

This recipe calls for 6 cups of stock so make sure to use a pot big enough to fit that along with all of the other ingredients! Recipe at the bottom of the post.

Start with one onion chopped. I had some shallot to use up so I added that as well! Saute’ in oil (whatever you have on hand) until a bit brown.

Add 2 finely chopped carrots, diced, dried apricots, garlic, spices and 1 celery stalk. I love using the celery leaves as well. I tend to add the garlic towards the end so it doesn’t burn. I also tend to go lighter on the salt and add more to taste at the end, especially if you are not using a low sodium broth or stock. Saute’ around 5 minutes.

Vegetables, spices, and garlic added to pan with onion.

Saute’ 3-5 minutes

Add the lentils 3/4 cup each of green lentils and red lentils

Add the stock or broth of any kind, 6 cups. I like to use low sodium broth or stock and add salt to taste..

All that is missing is the addition of whatever greens you need to use up! I made this last night to have for dinner tonight so I did not add the greens. When I reheat it, I will add greens to it!

And here it is….A very tasty, very nourishing, very adaptable soup to whatever ingredients you have on hand. See the suggestions for alternate ingredients in the recipe below. This is a high fiber, vegetarian dish but you can easily add leftover chicken or meat to it if you wish. Use whatever greens you need to use up; kale, chard, spinach. I hope you enjoy it!

Looking forward to the day that I can see you again, face to face in my office. In the meantime i am “seeing” clients via telehealth which has been great! Please reach out if you would like to “see” me this way.

Stay safe, Be Well!

-Brenda

My Favorite Recipe from Napa

Spicy Lemongrass Tofu with Asian Basil

As participants of the Healthy Kitchens Healthy Lives conference In Napa Valley, CA, we were exposed to hundreds of recipes. This was my favorite. I have never worked with lemongrass before and some of these ingredients can be hard to find. I did not want to wait until I had everything on hand to make this dish so I skipped the thai chilis and added some cayenne pepper to the marinade. I also used regular basil this time. It was still good! Next time I will experience it as written. Click here for a short video on prepping lemongrass.

Using a firm (not extra firm tofu) I take it out of the package and get some of the moisture out of it by placing on paper towels and then putting something heavy on top of it for about 30 minutes. While that is prepping, you can get the lemongrass ready by first chopping it into a much smaller piece and then basically peeling it back until you get to the softer inner part. Then you can chop it and put into a mortar and pestle to pulverize it along with the chilis (not pictured here). After the chilis and lemongrass are pulverized, add the soy sauce, sugar and tumeric and mix well.

tumeic, soy sauce and sugar for the marinade., Onions shallots and garlic for a saucepan.

Add the marinade to the sliced tofu (sliced fairly thin) and let it sit for 30 minutes. The marinade is more like a dry rub. It is not supposed to have much liquid. Add the onions, garlic and shallots to a sauce pan with 1 Tbsp oil, seasoned with some salt. The vegetables are not meant to brown,  more like steam. Cook for one minute, covered and then add 1 Tbsp water and continue to cook covered for 5-8 minutes until the onions are translucent and soft, then set aside.

After the tofu has marinated 30 minutes, it is time to cook in a non stick pan with 2 Tbsp of oil. Make sure the oil is hot and then place the tofu in the pan and cook on both sides until brown and caramelized, (last picture above).

Once the tofu is brown, add the onion mixture and toss to warm and combine with tofu. Add 1/2 of the peanuts and thai basil and then garnish each plate with the rest of the nuts and basil. I served this over brown rice with some steamed broccoli on the side. Enjoy!!

Spicy Lemongrass Tofu with Asian Basil