My lentil soup with crispy kale is really a mixture between a stew and a soup! I’ve provided a base here, which is good as it is, but other vegetables can also be added to enhance this soup.
I’ve added a few carrots and spices to keep it simple, but a throwing in some sweet potato chunks and a little cauliflower would be delicious too!
If you eat meat, this is a truly hearty meal time staple when thrown in a slow cooker with some organic chicken breast or beef.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 medium sized carrots – peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 leek – washed, trimmed and diced
- 2 sticks of celery
- 1 courgette – diced
- 300g green lentils
- 1.5ml beef stock or bone broth
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
Method:
- Peel and roughly dice the brown onion.
- Place a saucepan onto low heat and add the olive oil.
- Place the onions, celery, leeks and garlic in the pan and sweat for 10 minutes, ensuring that they don’t colour.
- Add the smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon and tomato puree to the pan and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped carrots and courgettes and sweat for another 5 minutes.
- Add the lentils to the pan.
- Add the stock.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the lentils are just al dente.
- Remove from heat & season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the crispy kale crisps:
- Wash and de-stem a handful of washed kale.
- Place in a bowl and add a tbsp of olive oil, mix with your hands, massaging the leaves gently.
- Add salt & pepper
- Place on a baking tray and placed in a 160C oven for 4 minutes. Be careful not to let the kale burn!
- Leave to cool.
- Serve the soup and top with the kale.