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Another delicious, healthy soup from the Good Food Diet
This smooth, nourishing butternut and red lentil soup, spiked with rosemary, is perfect for a chilly day. The best thing about this soup is that it is totally guilt-free: although it looks and tastes rich and robust, it is low in kilojoules. It is also high in fibre and nutrients. To top it all, this recipe won't break the bank.
The Butternut and Rosemary Soup recipe is:
- heart-friendly
- diabetic-friendly
- vegetarian-friendly (use vegetable stock cubes)
- fibre-rich
- wheat-free
- gluten-free
- dairy-free (leave out the yoghurt on top)
- egg-free
How to make Butternut and Rosemary Soup:
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) sunflower oil
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 750 ml (3 cups) shredded cabbage
- 1 x 500 g packet butternut chunks (cut the chunks in half)
- 2,25 litres (9 cups) water
- 500 ml (2 cups) red lentils/red split lentils
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- 2 x 65 g/70 g cans tomato paste
- 5 ml (1 tsp) dried rosemary
- 1 ml (¼ tsp) ground nutmeg
- salt and milled black pepper to taste
- plain low-fat yoghurt and small sprigs of fresh rosemary to garnish
Step 1: Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cabbage. Sauté.
Step 2: Add the butternut and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the water, red lentils, stock cubes, tomato paste, rosemary and nutmeg. Stir well. Cover and simmer over moderate heat for 25 minutes, stirring often and taking care that the soup does not burn.
Step 4: Remove from the heat. Liquidise until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.
Step 5: Spoon into bowls. Spoon a generous dollop of yoghurt on top and garnish with a sprig of rosemary. If the soup thickens on standing, just add a little water and adjust the seasoning.
This soup can be kept in the fridge for several days. It also freezes well.
Makes 3 - 3,25 litres/12 - 13 cups.
LENTIL FAST FACTS
- Once upon a time there was a little lentil: Lentils have been around for thousands of years, mainly in India and the Middle East. This ancient legume is mentioned in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, where it stars in a soup.
- Variety is the spice of life: Lentils come in many varieties and colours (black, brown, green, yellow, orange and red). They can be whole, split (divided down the centre so that you have two halves), with skins or skinned.
- To soak or not to soak: All lentils cook quickly. There is no need to soak them.
- Are red lentils really red? Red lentils have a beautiful orange colour. But don't be fooled. This colour soon disappears when the lentils are cooked and they turn into a very dull yellowish colour.
- Are red lentils losing it? Red lentils don't only lose their colour, but they also lose their texture and shape during cooking. This is because red lentils' skins are removed and they then don't have anything to keep them together. They quickly become mushy and form a pulp, making red lentils the ideal thickener for soups, stews and dips.
- Good things come in small parcels: Lentils are nutrient-rich little seeds. They are a source of protein, contain vitamins and minerals, and are rich in soluble fibre. They're cholesterol-free and very low in fat. Lentils are also a low-GI food, which means they help to release energy slowly in the body.
- The lens connection: Ever made the connection between the double convex shape of a lentil and the shape of a piece of glass, called a lens? The Latin word for lentil, lens, gives us an excellent clue: the glass lens was named after the lentil because of the obvious resemblance. Not only in English, but in many other languages, same or similar words are used for lentil and lens. A good example is the home-grown Afrikaans lensie and lens.
Dalene Crafford is a recipe developer, cookery team-build presenter, food stylist, and lover of (good) food and wine. To find out more about the Good Food Diet, contact Dalene at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or on 021 913 4457 or 082 562 9787, or visit Dalene's page at www.conca.co.za. |
