Spicy Lentil Spinach Soup

Not sure what's happening in your world, but fall is officially here in Atlanta! That means cooler temps and lots of soup-making opportunities. Soup is one of my favorite things to make for so many reasons:

• You can put all ingredients in a crock pot and leave it for the day. (Plus, the aroma it leaves in your kitchen is amazing!)

• There are so many varieties of soups, making the options endless and an opportunity to eat a different soup every week throughout the season.

• Soups can be magically healing due to their spices galore, tons of colorful veggies and fiber-rich legumes.

• You can make a big pot and portion it out for healthy lunch every day of the week.

• You can freeze it, which preserves the nutrients, and eat it for dinner the following week.

• It's really comforting and soothing when it's chilly at night.

• It gives you a great excuse to eat sourdough bread!

This Spicy Lentil Spinach Soup with cracked wheat rustic bread is a staple for us because it's delicious and extremely healing. It has iron-rich spinach combined with vitamin C-rich tomatoes, which helps to increase iron absorption. It also includes some of my favorite spices—mustard seed, oregano, cumin and fennel. Spices are nutrient power-houses when it comes to fighting inflammation and common colds, especially with the change of season. Eat them lots.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Spicy Lentil Spinach Soup

Serving size: 4-6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 70 minutes

Ingredients 

• 2 Tbsp olive oil or veggie broth for oil-free

• 1 tsp mustard seed

• 1 tsp cumin seed

• 1 tsp fennel seed

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 3 carrots, chopped

• 2 celery stalks, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/4 tsp cayenne or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 (BPA free) 28 oz can or carton of crushed tomatoes

• 4 cups veggie broth

• 4 cups of water

• 2 cups dry brown or green lentils, rinsed

• 1-2 cups spinach, chopped

• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat.

2. Add mustard, cumin and fennel seeds and toast for one minute, stirring often.

3. Add carrots, celery, onion and cook until onion is soft and tender (3–5 minutes).

4. Add garlic, oregano, cayenne or red pepper, stir and cook for another 30 seconds.

5. Stir in lentils, veggie broth, water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

6. Just before serving, stir in spinach and add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Garnish with chopped basil, nutritional yeast, or cashew cheese, if desired.

Enjoy now or portion it out to freeze for days ahead! Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Garnishes: Cilantro, basil, nutritional yeast, and cashew cheese

Nutrition Information

Per serving (6 servings): 325 calories, 53 grams carbohydrates (39 grams net carbohydrates), 14 grams fiber, 17 grams protein, 11 grams fat, 535 milligrams sodium

Good source of vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, folate, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus

Excellent source of vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, copper, iron, manganese