Meatless Monday at it's best!
I'm baaaaaaack! Hello lovelies and happy Monday! Sorry for the long delay of recipes! I've been traveling on and off for the last 2 weeks, and I've also just had some family in town. SO I had to take a mini break to spend with family and friends, and enjoy every second of it!
Anyway- need to recap my weekend because it was THAT great! First, my sister-in-law was visiting from Scotland, so Saturday was a fun filled day of eating and exploring the city (and shopping + more eating). BTW, Whole Foods Beet veggie burgers at their burger bar (the one down in Tribeca) ARE TO DIE FOR. THAT good. Now yesterday- omg more excitement. The best day ever! It was my 3rd year attending the Fancy Food Show at the Javitz Center, and if you haven't heard of it, YOU are missing out. Basically, it's a HUGE trade show (3 floors of food heaven) with tons and tons and TONS of food vendors displaying their products and with that comes a lot of samples. It's also an awesome opportunity to discover and learn more about completely new brands, food sold in other countries, and more about a food you think you already know so much about. Plus, endless networking with other foodies like yourself!
NOW aside from that, let's talk this dish! This is a soup for you if you've a) had a long exhausting weekend, b) don't feel like cooking something too complex, OR c) just love a good lentil soup (and you know I do). With the added fresh tomatoes & chickpeas, it's seriously the bomb.com. SUPER hearty and filled with the protein your body needs! Can ya just try it already?! I've adjusted the original recipe, and BAM here it is.
Thanks & Enjoy! xx S.
PS- get excited because there are SO MANY exciting veggie approved meals coming your way this week!
|| Vegetarian • Vegan • Gluten Free ||
I N G R E D I E N T S:
- 3 Tomatoes, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cans of garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
- 5 cups of Veggie broth + 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of Lentils
- 4 Tbs of tomato paste
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp of Thyme
- 2-3 tsp Paprika
- Salt + Pepper
- Olive oil
- Fresh Basil to finish! (optional but YUM)
BEGIN: Start by dicing your veggies and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add a splash of olive oil. Once hot, add your onion and saute for about 5 minutes, or until they just begin to brown. Then, add your garlic, paprika, thyme, salt & pepper, and cook for another 2 minutes. (the smellllllllllls. omg.)
COOK: Next, add your broth, lentils & chickpeas, to the pot -stir well! Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, check to see if your lentils are about cooked through (they should be, but if not, just cook a little longer!). Add your tomatoes, an additional cup of water/broth, and tomato paste to the soup. Mix to combine well and cover again. Cook for another 10-12 minutes.
FINISH!: After it's about done cooking, add only 2 pieces of fresh basil just to reduce the acidity, and give a tiny bit of a super fresh kick. Kill the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Now, with a hand immersion blender, puree juuuuuust a little so your soup gets creamy, but still keeps that chunky consistency. Taste and adjust with salt & pepper & EAT!
*Notes: If your soup is looking a tad too watery, just take out some of the broth with a laddle and set in a small bowl before pureeing. You can always add back in if it gets too thick! It's all to your preference. OH! And I really enjoy this with a fresh loaf of sourdough bread. Get real greedy guys. :)