Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato and Kale Soup

Spiced red lentil soup with lentil, tomato and kale. Photo courtesy of Susan Geffers.

This soup packs 13 grams of protein and 11 grams of dietary fiber! ... and of course no cholesterol.

Healthy benefits

Red lentils are rich in protein, provide iron without the fat and cholesterol. The fiber helps you feel full with less food. High fiber legumes like lentils are especially useful for those trying to stabilize blood sugar levels, as your metabolism burns them very slowly over time. The fiber is also effective in lowering blood cholesterol. 

Intake of tomatoes has long been linked to heart health. Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. In addition, tomato extracts have been shown to help prevent unwanted clumping together (aggregation) of platelet cells in the blood - a factor that is especially important in lowering risk of heart problems like atherosclerosis. They are also are one of the best sources of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cellular structures and DNA.

Gaining in popularity, kale is an amazing vegetable being recognized for its exceptional nutrient richness, health benefits, and delicious flavor. Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.

Ingredients 172 calories per serving (serves 6 cups)

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (or other oil)

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 sweet onion, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp smoked paprika 

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 

2 large fresh tomatoes diced (or 14-oz can diced tomatoes)

5-6 cups vegetable broth

1-1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

2 handfuls torn kale leaves (or spinach)

Fresh cracked pepper

Preparation

Sauté the onion and garlic in oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat in large pot. Add water to sauté as needed to avoid drying out. Add in the celery and sauté for a few minutes more.

2. Stir the spices (cumin, chili powder, coriander, paprika, cayenne). 

3. Stir in the tomatoes (or can of diced tomatoes), broth, and uncooked lentils. 

4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until lentils are tender and fluffy.

5. Stir in kale, or spinach when close to done to maintain its nutritional value.

6. When in serving bowl, add fresh cracked black pepper.

I use 1 cup containers to store in the refrigerator ... easy to take to lunch and have anytime.

Note to vegan chef

It's best to put in the kale just before the soup is ready to hold the bright green color. I always leave out salt in my recipes but you could add sea salt and black pepper if you like. I think it's spiced enough and it's good to beak away from the usual salt and pepper.

This is also perfect using water instead of vegetable broth. Using water instead of canned vegetable broth greatly reduced the sodium and still tastes great because of the vegetable juices and spices.

After I did the nutrition breakdown I was curious to know where the sodium was coming from so I checked it out.

Here is the sodium breakdown (per serving):

3 celery stalks ... 7 mg

1-1/4 tsp ground cumin ... 1mg

1-1/2 tsp chili powder ... 4mg

2 tomatoes ... 2mg

5-6 cups vegetable broth ... 636 mg (Here's the sodium!!)

1 cup red lentils ... 2 mg

2 fresh kale greens ... 10 mg

I just checked the labels of two of my organic vegetable broth ingredients and they were both 570 mg. This is higher than I would like. I'm going to look for low sodium version or start making my own vegetable broth. Maybe I'll just use water or do a combination.

Recipe inspired (yet modified) from Oh She Glows

Reference: The 10 Healthiest Foods, The Truth About Kale, Calorie Count