Simple Red Lentil and Turmeric Soup

What?! Two posts in 2 days? I’ll admit, I’m a bit random when it comes to posting. I’m not someone who follows a schedule. I’m all about following the flow lately, and yesterday I felt energized to sit in front of the computer and pound out some recipes, so you all lucked out and got 2 awesome recipes in 2 days. I honestly find this rhythm works best for me, as the recipes come to you with this great positive energy, as I’m writing them with joy in my heart.

This red lentil and turmeric soup tastes and feels like a warm hug. I’m serious, every time I have a bowl, I feel nourished from the inside out. Maybe it’s the turmeric and coconut milk, I’m not sure, but it definitely feels good going down, and I feel peaceful, comforted and uplifted after.

I’ve been trying to incorporate more lentils into my diet, as I’ve learned that they’re a great food for women who are going through perimenopause and menopause. Lentils are the third highest in protein of any plant food, they stabilize blood sugar, they’re high in iron, a great source of B vitamins, and they’re high in soluble fiber, so they help lower cholesterol and aid in digestion. I’m all about eating foods that help my digestion, so bring on the lentils.

This soup is soothing, creamy and chock full of nutrients and anti-inflammatory properties. I’m going to put it out there, this is a great base recipe, meaning please add what you want to flavor it to your liking. I’m learning that everyone in my family likes different flavors, some like things more spicy, salty, or with a bit more acidity, so when I develop a soup recipe, I make a base and then let people season their individual bowl to taste.

Simple Red Lentil and Turmeric Soup

serves 4-6

Note: This is a great base recipe, meaning please add what you want to flavor it to your liking. I’m learning that everyone likes different flavors, some like it more spicy, salty or with a bit more acidity, so with soups, I make a base and then let people season their bowl to taste.

• 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil –I love Dr. Bronner’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil 
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon ground tumeric
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups red lentils, well rinsed using a fine mesh strainer, drained – you can find red lentils in the bulk bin of most grocery stores
• 6 cups filtered water, plus more to thin out soup as needed
• 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse Celtic sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, (roughly 1-2 lemons) plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk – I love Native Forest Simple, as it has no guar or gums and comes in BPA free cans – make sure to shake the can, and get the one where you can hear the milk swishing around, as it will be easier to work with.
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
• Roughly 4 cups baby spinach leaves, plus more as needed

Make sure to rinse the lentils well using a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Lentils have a tendency to be dirty, so you will see a lot of murky water until they are fully rinsed.

Melt coconut oil in large dutch oven set over medium heat. Add in the diced onions plus 1 teaspoon sea salt and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and golden.

Stir in the garlic and turmeric and sauté for 2 minutes longer. Make sure to use a wooden spoon, or spatula to scrape the turmeric off the bottom of the pan as it has a tendency to stick. I literally stand over the pan and scrape and stir the onions, garlic and turmeric. 

Add lentils and water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover pot, reduce heat to low/simmer, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils are cooked and becoming creamy; making sure to stir pot every 10 minutes or so to make sure lentils aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pan. Don’t be weirded out when you open the lid after the first 10 minutes and the soup is yellow, foamy and the lentils are puffy, this is normal, just give the soup a big stir and it will settle down. Don’t skim the foam off, as you may loose some of the turmeric. I’m showing you an ugly photo of what it may look like, so you don’t get freaked out, and know this is normal. 

Remove lid, give lentils a stir, add in 1 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, coconut milk . Give soup another stir, cover again and cook for 5 minutes longer, or until lentils have completely dissolved and soup is creamy.

Stir in pepper, and give soup a taste. Add more salt, coconut milk and pepper to taste. This is a base recipe, so please adjust to your liking and preferences. I always add more coconut milk, salt and pepper to each individual bowl, so people can tweak their bowls to their own individual taste.

To serve, put a large handful of spinach into each bowl, and ladle the warm soup over the spinach and stir to combine.

The spinach will wilt down from the warm soup.

Top each bowl with splash of coconut milk, pepper and a pinch of salt if needed. Steve loves to put shredded chicken into his bowl of soup.

Storage and leftovers: Store soup in a sealed container in the fridge. The soup will thicken a lot, and will look like one big clump. Don’t worry, you can get it back to so a soup consistency when you reheat it. Just plop a big spoonful of the soup into a pan set over medium-low heat, add filtered water to thin the soup out to your liking, as well as a splash of coconut milk, then add in a handful of spinach. Stir to incorporate the spinach and warm up the soup to your liking. I always add more salt and pepper to my soup, as well as another splash of coconut milk when I pour it into a bowl. YUM!

Here’s a simple and natural, two-ingredient recipe to help you combat the upcoming cold and flu season, as well as to help relieve your aching muscles and joints, and basically just give your immune system a slight boost! It’s called golden honey, and it’s basically raw honey that’s infused with ground turmeric. It’s super easy to whip up and super good for you to boot! Turmeric infused honey. 

This turmeric roasted cauliflower is kid and teen approved, and a healthy and tasty way to spice up boring old cauliflower.

I’m in love with this turmeric tahini dressing. I’m topping it on EVERYTHING!

If you’re into soups, here’s one of my other favorite vegan winter soups, vegan butternut squash soup.

This cauliflower soup is an easy & simple weeknight winter soup that’s not only kid approved, but vegan and dairy-free, if you omit the parmesan cheese.  This soup only requires 4 simple ingredients; a head of cauliflower, yellow onion, garlic, chicken or veggie stock.

This beet, ginger and coconut soup tastes like beets, but the ginger, coconut oil and coconut milk help to soften the earthy flavor of the beets and gives them a subtle sweetness. The pureed texture of the soup is creamy, light and soft!