In Winter, all I really want to eat is a big cozy bowl of soup to warm up my tummy. Forget the salads to get my veggies in!
My brother recently had his wisdom teeth taken out and that's all mum has been making, which I'm not complaining about! Not only is soup super delicious but also very nutrient dense - full of vitamins and minerals your body requires to function properly on a daily basis. When you make a batch of soup, all of the water-soluble vitamins (vitamins C, K, and from the B group) remain in the contents of the soup, and not to mention the fibre to get that digestive system going!
And forget those pre-made (canned and packaged) soups and 'Cup-a-Soups' you can get from the supermarket - they are full of added nasties including sodium and trans fats that will give you no health benefits! When you make soup for scratch, you know exactly what you have put into it, which is important when living a life based around wholefoods.
I have added lentils to soup for added protein and fibre, as well as walnuts and pumpkin seeds for extra fats (and protein) to make it super creamy. Topped with some goats cheese and truffle oil, this soup is super yummy and filling, you'll want to keep coming back for more like I did!
Serves approximately 3 people and can be doubled if need be!
Ingredients:
3 large zucchinis
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/2 cup of green lentils
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup of chopped pumpkin seeds
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for cooking
Salt and pepper to season
Added extras such as more olive oil (I love truffle olive oil), goats cheese and extra walnuts/pumpkin seeds
Method
1. Dice garlic and red onion, and saute in a pan with 1 tablespoon of Extra-Virgin Olive OIl.
2. Once browned, add the cumin and fennel seeds and roast until fragrant.
3. Chop the zucchini and add to the pan, frying for approximately 10 minutes until browned.
4. Rinse the green lentils and add to the pan along with 4 cups of boiling water. Cover allow to cook for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
5. Once lentils are cooked through, add the walnuts and pumpkin seeds to the pan and allow to cook for a further 5 minutes.
6. With a hand-held bamix or a blender, blend the contents of the soup until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Laddle into bowls and serve with your choice of toppings!