The lentil soup recipe was requested by my brother-in-law who wants to cut down on his sodium intake. And, really, most of us consume WAY TOO MUCH as it is, so we can all benefit from a little less now and again. Omitting meats, salted butter, canned lentils and using sodium-reduced stock go a long way to keeping a lid on the salt in this delicious soup. Stock can be made at home too. The lentil soup has a beefed-up taste, but is 100% vegetarian.
Ingredients:
- 4 Cups Sodium-Reduced Vegetable Stock
- 1 Large Onion
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Carrot
- 2 Stalks Celery
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Green Lentils (dried)
- 2 Sprigs Thyme (1 tsp dried)
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Pepper to taste
- Pinch of Sage
In a large saucepan, saute onions, carrots and celery in oil until softened, 5 minutes. Crush and add garlic. Add thyme, bay leaf, sage, and pepper. Rinse and add lentils. Pour in stock and blend thoroughly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 cup of hot water, simmer again for 20 minutes. **Add another cup to thin out soup, or keep it thick like a stew.
Serve with salad and whole wheat bun.
Since he likes his food spicy – I add dried chili pepper flakes and fresh ground pepper with the herbs. Kicks things up a notch and he doesn’t even miss the salt!