who has a good lentil soup recipe?

[w8liftinglady]

I love lentil soup,and am trying to cut my grocery bill...any suggestions?

[Suich]

1. Not soup, but I have a recipe for real tasty and easy lentil stew.

Used to cook it all the time when I was low on food money.

:hi:

[w8liftinglady]

21. that's kind of where I'm going with this..cheap and nutritious

[Gormy Cuss]

2. Meat or no meat?

I have several good recipes -- let me know what sort you're looking for and I'll pm some to you.
Vegetarian with tomatoes and zucchini, vegetarian with chili powder, meat versions with just stock, with lamb, with ham bones, etc.

[SKKY]

3. My wife makes a lentil soup that is to die for. To die for I tell ya...

...I'll get the recipie from her and PM it to you.

[Porcupine]

4. My kids, 10 and 13, ASK for my lentil soup.....

Get the Trader Joes black lentils if you can. Other wise a mix of 2/3 green or brown to 1/3 red is nice.

1.5 cups lentils
1 12 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/4 lb italian sausage (vegetarians substitute TVP, olive oil and 1/2 tsp caraway seed)
4 stalks celery chopped
1/2 bunch Kale(the queen of the soup pot)
3 medium carrots chopped
2 medium onions diced
5 1/2 cups water or 1/2 stock if available
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1 T fresh chopped
black pepper

brown sausage, then add celery and onion and cook medium heat until carmalized stirring frequently. Throw in everything else but the kale. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Chop the kale and throw that in. Simmer another 1/2 hour. You may need to add liqud to thin. Serve with good bread and real butter

[Gormy Cuss]

6. The TJ's black lentils are great.

They retain their shape much better than the common lentils.

[w8liftinglady]

18. that sounds awesome!

it's raining here-i think i'll make that today!

[cemaphonic]

5. Have you tried making a Dal?

They are my favorite use of lentils, and a good Indian cookbook will have a staggering variety of them.

[havocmom]

32. Second that suggestion! When you want lentils, go to an Indian cookbook

and be BRAVE with seasonings! MMMMMM good

Lentil soups freeze well too. I make a bunch and freeze in small containers.

Have also cooked lentils with Indian spices, run through the blender and served as a thick sauce over chicken or plain brown rice. Wonderful and gets rave reviews from dinner party guests!

[billyskank]

7. You could try adapting my recipe for dahl here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x5301417

Make it more watery than I did and it could be adapted into a soup.

[BarenakedLady]

11. Yummy

You are making that for me.

:9

[billyskank]

12. Okay

You can make the bread. :hi:

[BarenakedLady]

14. Deal

Wait...do I have to make it from scratch?

I'll bring my bread maker. hehehe

:hi:

[cemaphonic]

15. Thanks for this

I've been trying out a bunch of different dal recipies lately, and this one looks very good. I'll probably use yellow lentils, since I haven't been able to find any hulled mung beans (& don't like the texture that the shells give).

For anyone interested in Indian cooking, frying cumin seeds (I usually use some mustard and fenugreek seeds too) in oil as the first step really does make a huge difference. My attempts at Indian food improved a lot when I started doing this instead of just using the ground spices. And it smells so good too.

[billyskank]

17. Any beans you like

Urd dahl is very good.

And yes, the smell of frying cumin seeds is one of life's little pleasures.

[w8liftinglady]

20. that looks absolutely delicious as is!

I've never tried dal before...I can't wait to try cooking this.

[bicentennial_baby]

25. hey Billy, Question for you

Why don't Hare Krishnas eat garlic and onions?

One of my fave bands is Shelter, btw, a Harcore Krishna band...KrishnaCore, they call it :D

[billyskank]

27. Hi bi_baby

:hi:

The answer to your question is that Hare Krishnas only like to eat food that has been offered to the deity, and not all foods are offerable. Foods that are not accepted by the deity include meat, fish and eggs and, yes, garlic and onions too.

Hare Krishna philosophy divides all aspects of material existence into a mixture of three modes, called gunas. They are: sattva-guna or the mode of goodness, rajo-guna or the mode of passion, and tamo-guna or the mode of ignorance.

Foods in the mode of goodness are vegetables, fruits, dahl, milk and other things which are nutritious and considered quite pure. Foods in the mode of passion are things like chilli, black pepper and so on, and these foods indeed tend to make us more fiery and passionate. Foods in the mode of ignorance include meat, fish and eggs which are (considered by Hare Krishnas to be) impure and promote animalistic tendencies. For some reason garlic and onions are included in the last category. I have never grokked the reason why.

Foods in the modes of goodness and passion can be offered to the deity, upon which they become nirguna (beyond the modes), but foods in the mode of ignorance are not offerable. That is to say, the deity will not accept them.

[bicentennial_baby]

28. Fascinating....

Thank you for your answer :hi:

[sbj405]

8. Cheap, easy, and filling

I usually add more potatoes.

http://vegetariantimes.com/recipe/recipe_details.cfm?recipe_id=9672

[flamingyouth]

9. Deborah Madison's in "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" is great

I can't find a link online and I'm not able to type it out right now, but I can post it later today if you'd like. :hi:

[w8liftinglady]

22. please do,if you have time

[flamingyouth]

31. Hi - sorry for the delay

I got a little distracted. :D

This is Deborah Madison's Hearty Lentil Soup recipe from her excellent "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone," sort of a "Joy of Cooking" for veggies. We make this a lot and it lasts us for several days. I think the mustard and red wine vinegar give it a unique flavor that really sets it apart from other recipes. Sometimes I'll add chopped zucchini or minced spinach leaves if I have extra in the fridge.

Hearty Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups finely diced onions
3 large garlic cloves
Salt and freshly milled pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1-1/2 cups French green or brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Chopped celery leaves and parsley

Heat the oil in a soup pot over high heat. Add the onion and saute until it begins to color around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, mince or pound the garlic in a mortar with 1 teaspoon salt. Work the tomato paste into the onion, then add the garlic, celery and carrot, bay leaves, and parsley and cook for 3 minutes. Add the lentils, 2 quarts water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are tender, 25 to 35 minutes.

Stir in the mustard and vinegar. Taste and add more of either as needed. Check the salt, season with plenty of pepper, remove the bay leaves, and serve, garnished with the celery leaves and parsley. The longer the soup sits before serving, the better it will taste.

I've never tried this, but she includes this as an alternate:
Cream of Lentil Soup with Croutons
Cook until the lentils are soft and mushy, an extra 10 minutes or so. Remove the bay leaves, puree the soup, then pass it through a food mill. Return to the stove and stir in enough milk or cream to thin it to the desired consistency. Serve garnished with chopped celery leaves and small croutons crisped in olive oil or butter.

[Callalily]

10. This is my very

favorite lentil soup. Be sure to use real lemon juice at the end.

Red Lentil & Rice Soup

2 tsp olive oil
1 carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground cumin
7 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, defatted, or vegetable broth
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
¼ cup rice, preferably short-grain
3Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly black ground pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

In Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add cumin and cook for 1 minute more.

Stir in broth, lentils, and rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until lentils break down and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro.

310 calories per main-course serving.

[w8liftinglady]

23. that sounds delicious,and easy

I would have never thought to add lemon juice...I'll make it next week!

[youthere]

13. Does such a thing exist?

I've tried loads of lentil soup recipes and they've all been just kind of blah.
I kind of like lentils too, they are such an unassuming little legume, seems a shame they don't get more attention.

[China_cat]

16. try sprouting them for in a salad

the sprouts are slightly peppery in taste and have a really nice crunch to them.

[youthere]

19. Do you just use the dried lentils?

I've never heard of sprouting lentils before..I'd LOVE to try it!

[China_cat]

26. Yep. Soak about 1/4 cup in water overnight

drain and put in a jar that you can cover with cheesecloth or something else that will allow airflow. Keep them in a dark place and rinse them twice a day. Use when the shoot is about as long as the lentil. They aren't as good in cooked dishes but are great in salads or added in the last few seconds of a stir fry.

[w8liftinglady]

24. this one sounds a little different-Turkish Lentil Soup

Turkish Lentil Soup - Vegan Recipe
Adapted from The Bean Harvest Cookbook by Ashley Miller (Taunton Press, 1996).
Simple Solution
This savory sweet-and-sour Middle Eastern delight marries lentils (one of the most ancient and nutritious plants cultivated by humans, bursting with plenty of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin A) with dried apricots and warming spices to create an unusual, piquant, and totally delicious soup.

What a lovely way to nourish your family!

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large bay leaf
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
1 ¼ cups dried green lentils
8 cups water
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Paprika and finely-chopped parsley for garnish

1. In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic and saute until translucent. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cumin, and saute about 2 minutes.

2. Add lentils, water, cilantro, and apricots and cook 1 hour, or until the lentils are completely soft.

3. Cool the soup slightly so it won’t burn you, then add the vinegar. Remove bay leaf and puree soup in batches in a blender. Season with salt and plenty of pepper.

4. Reheat and serve hot, garnished with paprika and parsley.

Serves 4 to 6.

[NMDemDist2]

29. Here's a good lentil casserold recipe

DH's family are lentil (and wheat) farmers and this is the Lentil Casserole recipe she gave me from the heart of Lentil country

1 1/4 cups of Lentils, cooked and drained
1 pound ground beef, browned
1 small onion, chopped
2 - 15oz cans stewed tomatoes
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP teriyaki sauce
dash Liquid Smoke

4-6 Bacon Strips

mix all ingredients and place in 9 x 13 baking dish, place bacon strips on top and cook in 350 oven for 30-45 minutes

[w8liftinglady]

30. oooohh...my boys will love that-thanks!