Lemony Lentil And Crispy Kale Soup Recipe

I’m always on the lookout for great recipes. Whether it’s online though my favourite food blogs, Pinterest, or in recipe books, the hunt is never-ending. While I do have my familiar go-to’s to fall back on when I have no idea what to make for supper at 4pm, I think it’s always a good idea to try new things so I can add more go-to’s to the list.

HarperCollins Canada sent me a copy of the new vegetarian cookbook “A Modern Way to Eat” by Anna Jones. Jones, a bright cook, stylist, writer and former student of Jamie Oliver, quit her job after reading an article about following your passion. Now, years later she has published her own solo book and it is a beauty.

The book contains over 200 recipes, all vegetarian, some vegan, most, gluten-free. In it, you will find a wealth of helpful charts and resources, plus recipes for:

breakfast (smoothies, lemon maple granola, banana blueberry, pecan pancakes etc.)
snacks, soups, salads (leek and new potato salad, raw Thai citrus crunch salad etc.)
easy lunches and laid back suppers (lime and chipotle black bean tacos, avocado and lemon zest spaghetti etc.)
hearty dinners (butternut squash and kale tart, lentil and sweet potato pie, wild garlic and lemon risotto, leek and greens pie etc.)
sides (bay and saffron roasted cauliflower, sage, pumpkin and potato bake etc.)
desserts (banana, toffee, and coconut cream pie (this recipe is next on my list to make!) brown sugar tart etc.)
cakes, breads (double chocolate cloud cake, coconut vanilla loaf etc.)
drinks (blood orange and agave margaritas, four o’clock hot chocolate etc. )
miscellaneous recipes (jams, chutneys, stocks, etc.)

Oh, and speaking of vegetarian food...I don’t have to tell you again that eating less meat is healthier for you and is better for the environment, right?

HarperCollins let me pick one recipe from the book to share with you and since it’s getting a little cooler outside and we’re just a few days from the official start of fall, I decided that a soup would be the perfect choice. Jones' Lemony Lentil and Crispy Kale soup to be precise.

This soup came together quickly, it doesn’t have a long complicated ingredient list, it contains lentils (which I love!), and it is delicious and so healthy for you—all things I look for in a recipe.

Ingredients:

Splash of olive oil
1 leek, washed, trimmed and finely sliced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
Juice of 2–3 lemons
250g split red lentils
1 veg stock cube, or 1 tablespoon veg stock powder
4 handfuls of kale (or other greens), washed, trimmed and shredded
Yoghurt, stirred with a little sea salt (optional)

Get a large pan on the heat. Add a little oil and turn the heat to medium. Add the leek and fry for a few minutes, until it has softened and smells sweet, then add the spices and fry for another couple of minutes. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon and stir around to lift all the spices from the bottom of the pan.

Next, add the lentils, 1.5 litres of water and the stock cube or powder and allow to bubble away for 20–35 minutes, until the lentils are cooked and the soup has thickened.

Turn off the heat and, if you like, you can blitz the whole lot to a thin dhal consistency, then squeeze in the juice of the remaining 2 lemons, tasting as you go to make sure it doesn’t get too lemony. It may seem like a lot, but you really want the lemony tang to come through.

Just before you’re ready to serve, sauté the kale in a little olive oil until it slightly softens but begins to crisp at the edges. Ladle into bowls and top with the salted yoghurt and the crispy kale.

Serves 4–6

Find out why participating in Meatless Monday is healthier for you and the environment and if you are looking for delicious vegan, gluten-free desserts, then you need the Bunner’s Bake Shop Cookbook!