Spicy Lentil and Carrot Soup

This Spicy Lentil and Carrot Soup is my go-to meal for warming me up on cold winter days!

I’ve never been too much of a soup person.  I have friends who get really excited at the prospect of having soup for lunch, and I’ve never understood their enthusiasm. Maybe it’s because when I was growing up, soup meant opening a can of flavored water with bits of vegetables and beans floating around it in. It never tasted very good and it never filled me up. All that has changed with this spicy lentil and carrot soup. It’s filling and extremely flavorful, and when I know that I have it waiting for me for lunch, I count down the minutes until it’s time to eat. Have I become a soup person after all?

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Spicy Lentil and Carrot Soup

Yields 6 servings

Author Dianne Wenz

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 pound carrots sliced
• 1/2 red onion chopped
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon minced red chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. Place the lentils in a strainer and rinse well under cold water. Drain and place in a large pot together with the vegetable stock, carrots, onions, tomatoes and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the vegetables and lentils are tender
2. Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the cumin, coriander, chili and tumeric and fry over low heat for 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Season with salt to taste.
3. Process the soup in batches, until smooth, in a blender or food processor. Or keep the soup in the pot and process with an immersion blender. Return soup to the pot and add the spice mixture. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Garnish with greens or roasted pumpkin seeds and enjoy!