Red Lentils

Wowzers.

New week, new perspective, new smiles, new heart, thought I would be able to add good sleep to the list, but my darling little Bennett boogered that one up last night.

"Who me?!" Look at that cheese ball grin. Cracks me up every time I look at it!

I decided since I am trying my hardest to start this week off on a good foot, I would start it off by sharing a super cozy recipe with you.

It's a twist on an old fave. Lentil Soup...Coconut style.

For some reason I can't resist a recipe that has coconut milk in it. It adds a nice creaminess with a touch of sweetness. This soup, oh, this soup just tasted warm and special. Nothing was overpowering, and everything seemed to work together in just the right ways. I did omit the jalapeno only because I wanted both boys to be able to enjoy it with us, and they did. Even Cole, my new picky eater...apparently everything I make these days is "sick" only sub out the 's' with a 'd' and that's the word that often follows his first bite.

Not with this soup, there were no "sicks" being thrown around. And Bennett....well, he just sat happy as a clam stuffing garbanzo bean after garbanzo bean down his little beak. A winner and repeater in my book!

Hope you enjoy this soup as much as we did!

Red Lentil Coconut Soup 
(Source: Scaling Back Blog)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups red split lentils
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper cut into 1/2 inch dice ( I didn't have this, and didn't feel like spending 4 dollars on an organic one, so I left it out and added chopped up carrots instead)
• 1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chili, finely chopped, including seeds
• 1 tablespoon fresh peeled and minced ginger ( I used about a 1/4 tsp of ground ginger)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ( I didn't add, as I usually don't like cinnamon in my soups)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 7 cups water
• 1 can unsweetened light coconut milk
• 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Method:

Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven or large soup pan and add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened and start to take on some color. Add the garlic, ginger, spices and tomato paste and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes until the mixture is toasty and fragrant.  Add the water, coconut milk, lentils and chickpeas and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes adding the lime juice at the end of cooking.  Taste and adjust with more salt or more lime juice if desired.  Serve the soup topped with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and some extra limes on the side.