Not Your Mama's Lentil Soup

While I was doing my veggie challenge, I actually fell in love with lentils.  Lentils are a great alternative to beans since they cook in a fraction of the time that it takes to whip up a pot of beans.  Just about thirty minutes is all you need to have your lentils ready to eat.  I love all kinds of lentil soups and I also like making a spread out of lentils and mashing them with salt, oil, garlic, herbs, and other seasonings before having them on flatbread with fresh veggies such as cucumber, tomato, olives, etc.  Sometimes I even season them up with curry and put raisins in the mix. 

Here's a simple yet delicious recipe for a tasty lentil soup.  The flavor is dark, garlicky, and somewhat smoky and spicy from the Thai chili with a bit of brightness from the culantro. I came up with this recipe in an attempt to make a dish that was well-balanced both in nutrition and in flavor.  Remember that red pepper is very high in vitamin C.  Buttercup squash is a great source of vitamin A and also contains vitamin C, calcium, and iron.  Celery also contains the same vitamins.  Who said healthy food had to be boring?  Enjoy!

References: http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Vegetables/Buttercup.html, http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2840/2

Lentil Soup

1 package lentils

¼  buttercup squash (any grocery store--do NOT substitute with the similar-looking acorn squash)

2 cloves of garlic, smashed

1/8 cup diced red pepper

1/8 cup diced onion

2-3 culantro leaves (sawleaf herb--easily found at SE Asian market) (a substitute, but not equivalent is the much brighter cilantro)

Half stalk of celery, diced

2 thai peppers, whole with stem removed (SE Asian market)

Handful of black peppercorns

Pinch of dried oregano

1 tsp turmeric

2-3 tsp salt

Goya Adobo to taste (I used the one with the blue top)

Mix ingredients together and cook according to package instructions, until desired tenderness. 

Serve with sliced avocado and even rice, if you so desire.  Yum!!