Thursday, December 29, 2011

A warm hug on a cold day

I adore soup. On a cold and blustery night there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of homemade soup and a loaf of crusty bread with butter.  As you sit cozied up with a bowl, the warmth creeping into your tummy, it feels like a warm hug from the inside out.

 
Better Farming magazine this month ran a wonderful story about the Ontario Christian Gleaners,  last year volunteers working for Ontario Christian Gleaners produced 2.2. million servings of soup from waste food that would otherwise have ended up in the dump or been plowed under.  Volunteers spend hours chopping produce by hand and it is then dehydrated to be shipped to orphanages around the world.  What an amazing way to take what would end up in landfill and turn it into food!
Soup is a full meal, and for hundred of years we have created soup recipes from all sorts of interesting foods. Cabbage soup, cold soups, there are some very unusual soups out there! 

 
Last night, I made one of my favorites. It's simple and can be made in less than 30 minutes. It pairs nicely with a hearty bread. We ate ours with a fresh loaf of pumpernickel.

 
Red Lentil Soup

 
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 can of crushed tomatoes
  • 2.5 cups of red lentils
  • 1 tetra pack of chicken soup broth (make your own if you have time, but this is a good standby!)

 
Boil the cauliflower. While that's boiling, cook the lentils. (3 cups of water to 1 cup of lentils. Usually they take 15-20 minutes to cook, check your package) 

 
Add one large can of crushed tomatoes to the cooked lentils. Drain the cauliflower and add the soft cauliflower to the lentils and tomatoes. Add the chicken broth.  Add 2 teaspoons of dried garlic, and about 3 tablespoons of Vegeta seasoning. (This is awesome stuff!)  Salt and pepper.  Now use either your blender to puree in batches or use a handstick blender to puree it all together.

 
If it's too thick add a little water.

 
Serve with grated sharp cheddar cheese on top.

 
From me to you....a warm hug.

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