Winter Lentil Soup

This soup is a firm favourite at Quest. Enjoy this nutritious, delicious, easy soup. Red lentils need no pre-soaking and cook much more quickly than other dried legumes. The high protein content in lentils makes them an excellent meat substitute. Lentils are an excellent source of fibre, manganese, B vitamins, help prevent heart disease and can help you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy. Best of all, they make a fantastic and easy soup.

Ingredients

Makes 6 portions

• 1 brown onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 carrot
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 yellow capsicum
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp yellow curry powder
• 1 ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or oregano leaves
• 1 bayleaf
• 400 gram tin crushed tomatoes
• 1.2 litres vegetable stock
• 1 cup dried red lentils rinsed well
• Salt and pepper
• Crumbled feta and fresh parsley to garnish

Method

1. Dice the vegetables and sauté them softly in the olive oil.
2. Add curry powder, cumin and basil and fry for a couple of minutes.
3. Pour the crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock in and add the bay leaf.
4. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
5. Add lentils and let simmer another 10 minutes or until lentils are soft.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Serve with crumbled feta and fresh parsley.

We serve many other delicious and healthy soups and meals on our wellbeing programs at the Quest for Life Centre.