I know it’s the first day of September, but did someone have to cue the chilly winds from the north already? I actually had to wear a jacket today! Although I’m not ready to throw in the towel on summer yet, today’s weather reminded me that the days of cuddling up in a big sweater and blanket with a cup of hot soup are just around the corner.
This soup is a blend of some summer ingredients with warming spices.
It’s very easy to make – throw everything in a pot, blend it until smooth, and soup’s on in 20 minutes!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils (washed and rinsed)
1 pound tomatoes (roughly chopped)
1 1/2 cups leeks (washed and roughly chopped)
1 1/2 cups carrots (roughly chopped)
2 ounces fresh basil (roughly chopped)
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger (or freshly grated/minced)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 cups water
Directions
- Place all ingredients, except the basil, in a pot. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to simmer and let cook for 15 minutes or until lentils are cooked.
- Remove from heat and stir in the basil so it’s completely submerged. Let sit for 1 minute so basil can “cook”.
- Using an immersion blender, food processor or high-speed blender, blend until smooth.
- Salt to taste, if desired, and serve hot, warm or chilled.
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