Meatless Monday: Curried green lentil soup with raita

Today I want to share a green lentil soup recipe. I really hope you guys and gals aren’t tired of lentil recipes. I mean, after all, it’s not my fault they are so awesome. They are packed with protein and fiber, low in calories and not to mention all kinds of healthy minerals, 2- B vitamins and iron. Health benefits aside, I also like them because they’re fast and yummy.

I made this soup with pre-cooked lentils since I have a bunch in my freezer, but raw ones work great too, so no worries if you don’t have any that are already cooked. With the cooked lentils, I just added them in during the last 5 minutes to heat through.

As a vegan option, simply omit the Raita.

Curried Green Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 onion
1 celery stalk
2 carrots
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 – 2 tablespoons garam masala (adjust according to taste)
4 cups vegetable (or chicken broth)
3/4 cup raw lentils or (3 cups cooked)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Start by chopping up the veggies. Dice the onion and clean and chop the celery and carrots.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or fat/oil of choice), Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add the celery and carrot, cook for another 2 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and garam masala. Heat until the spices become fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the broth and raw lentils (if using raw or wait until the last 5 minutes if using cooked lentils). Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until lentils and carrots are cooked, approximately 20-25 minutes.

Add the lemon juice and cilantro. Serve with a dollop of Raita.*

Optional: If you prefer a creamier texture, use an emulsion blender or a regular blender to puree the mixture before serving. Just remember to allow the soup to cool before adding it to the blender!

*Raita

2-1/2 inch segment of cucumber
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

Peel the cucumber segment. Using a spoon, scrape out all the seeds. Finely dice the cucumber. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir until well combined. Add salt to taste.

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