Jenny’s Secret Carrot and Red Lentil Soup (25 Min, Vegetarian)

The Burger Issue

It’s an old story, we’ve all been there before; long day at work, the last hour comes, so does another, and suddenly you’re hungry – really bloody hungry.

On the way home is a McDonalds, so you treat yourself to two or maybe even three €1 burgers. They taste alright, they fill you up a bit. It wont hurt, you tell yourself. But it probably will. Your body and your wallet. It’s certainly not a long term solution to a hungry belly anyway.

I needed to end this vicious cycle – and that’s where Jenny came in. I’ll always thank her for this – her carrot and lentil soup.

Jenny: “No, it’s really so simple to make.”

At first I “only” appreciated the taste, thinking that I couldn’t possibly make it myself because it tasted so good, and I’m crap at cooking. Always have been. But I asked for the ingredients and cooking time anyway. 5 ingredients, 25 minutes. Hmmm…easier than I thought. I tried it myself a few days later, preparing for the classic “this takes much longer and tastes much worse” result. But no, it was just as good as Jenny’s version. I did it again, it worked again. As it has done every time since.

To see if I wasn’t just assuming that it actually made sense to swap some cheeseburgers for the soup (assumption is the brother of all fuck ups after all) I investigated.Turns out the soup is healthier than pretty much anything I’d ever eaten before..

Health Benefits – Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

The soup (red lentils and carrots) contains a lot of fiber, which is great, because most
people eat less than 50% of the daily recommended amount (1). Fiber has some great benefits: it decreases the risk of diabetes, heart attacks and other stuff (2).

Fiber actually makes you feel full too – you won’t be hankering after any other food for a while. Can you say the same for a burger? You’re less hungry throughout the day. You eat less. You lose weight (3). That’s a win-win in my book.

And finally one bowl contains around 30g of protein. That’s better than a couple of burgers. If I went to the gym, I’d be laughing!

Beginning of the End of the Burger Issue

Jenny’s red lentil soup is a fantastic step towards a healthier life with less burgers. And it’s a tasty one too.

5 from 1 vote

Print

Spiced Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

Red Lentil Soup. Delicious - six ingredients, 30g of protein per bowl. Tasty and high in fiber too.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 2 large portions

Calories 302 kcal

Author Hurry The Food Up

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• 5 cups vegetable stock (1 cup = 250ml)
• 1 cup natural yogurt (1 cup = 250ml)
• 1 cup red lentils (7 oz/200ml, dried, not canned)

Optional:

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic (1 clove = ½ tsp dried)

Instructions

1. Get a pot, pop it on a low heat and add the olive oil.

2. Cut the carrots, onion and grate the garlic.

3. Throw them in the pot, cook for a minute or two and chuck the lentils in after.

4. Stir a little until the lentils are covered with oil (they open their pores which then tastes better).

5. Add the vegetable stock and yoghurt.

6. Let the soup simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat.

7. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Add the lemon juice.

9. Blend it with a hand blender if available, don't worry if you cant.
   

10. Ready (eat with bread, add your favourite herbs for variety, and some more yoghurt or sour cream)

Recipe Notes

Experiment with your favourite herbs and spices - who knows what awesome combination you might discover?