Lentil Bean Soup

Lentil beans are so good for us. They, along with other beans and legumes, are usually in the top 10 for healthy eating. Good for the brain, good for the heart, an excellent source of protein, and just plain delicious. Turmeric and cumin have both recently been shown to be good for a healthy brain as well. It’s so easy to combine them both into this tasty soup.

Always looking for the perfect Lentil Soup recipe, I tried this combination. I liked it! To be expected since it had my favorite spinach and cauliflower added. They give it a nice texture and flavor boost.

As always, you can add more or less of your favorite ingredients. I found sautéing the garlic and onion increased the flavor, but if you prefer you can toss in all the ingredients without the browning step. I wanted to try the chicken-less chicken broth, but you can use vegetable broth if you are vegetarian or chicken broth if you are not. Any work very well.

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Lentil Bean Soup

Rating  5 from 1 reviews

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup lentils
• 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 3 cups broth (I used vegetarian 'chickenless' chicken broth)
• 1 to 2 cup water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 to 5 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 2 cups chopped cauliflower
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Tabasco sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a small skillet.
2. Saute garlic and onion for 2 or 3 minutes, then pour into slow cooker.
3. Combine all ingredients except spinach, cilantro, and cauliflower in the slow cooker.
4. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.
5. Check occasionally—you may need to add more water or broth.
6. Add cauliflower for the last hour of cooking.
7. Add spinach and cilantro minutes before serving.
8. Season to your liking.

3.3.3077

Serve piping hot with rolls, corn bread or a salad. Since it is a fairly mild soup, I added several dashes of tabasco to my bowl. It gave it an added pop that I enjoyed.

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Crock-Pot SCCPVI600-S Countdown Slow Cooker with Stove-Top Browning, Stainless Finish, 6-Quart

If you want to brown and slow cook in the same dish to make it even easier, you’ll enjoy a slow cooker like this one. The browning feature makes this a must have requirement on my next crock pot. This model is already in my cart actually. I really prefer to only use one dish if I can. Saves time and clean up—both of which I appreciate. This model is programmable and will even automatically switch to warm when the dish is done. I love that it can do all that without costing much more than any other crock pot. I can’t wait to try it to brown a roast before slow cooking it.

Crock-Pot SCCPVI600-S Countdown Slow Cooker with Stove-Top Browning, Stainless Finish, 6-Quart

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Merry Citarella, often writing as Merrci, writes on a wide range of topics. Recently relocated to the Oregon Coast in the northwest United States, she frequently writes travel features on the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She specializes in health and aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, food, lifestyle, and book reviews. For more information you can see her on The Writers’Door. You can read more articles here or at her websites Alzheimers HQ and Simple Living Ideas