Recipes from Crockpot Tuesday: Lentil Soup

Those of you who are following my Facebook know that Alec and I have begun using the crockpot every Tuesday so we can have an inexpensive hot meal before Knit Night.  It works beautifully except when I am lost for inspiration, but that's what friends are for!

I bet you've all heard of Yarnagogo Rachael and her fabulous new book (it's waiting on my Kindle for me.  I am a monogamous reader if not a monogamous knitter.)  Some time ago, she posted a recipe on her blog for lentils.  I am a total sucker for lentils - lentil soup in a can, beluga lentil soup with turkey sausage, daal... I love all of it.  I had to make it.  My first attempt was a failure.  I was missing about half the ingredients listed in her recipe, so  I improvised with black beans and onion powder, I think.  I also failed at reading comprehension, adding white rice to the crockpot without realizing that it would probably cook differently in a slow cooker than the brown jasmine rice she used.  Let's just say following the idea of a recipe didn't work out.

A few weeks later, I had picked up some lentils and beets on sale.  Tuesday began with little inspiration, but when I realized that I could substitute the spinach Rachael used with the beet tops, an idea was formed!  At 6:30 PM, Alec called it "best lentil soup ever."  (He likes lentils a lot, too.)

Here's how it goes:

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils  (remember to wash them!)

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 carrot, grated

cumin seeds to taste

6 cups water or stock

1 bunch beet greens, thoroughly washed and chopped into 1-inch strips

1/2 bag frozen corn

All spices to taste, with heavy emphasis on the curry powder:

fresh parsley (not essential, but nutritious and tasty)

curry powder

ginger

cayenne (tsp or less, unless you like it really hot!)

salt

turmeric (pinch)

Sautee onions, garlic, bell pepper and carrot until they begin to sweat.  I like to add a little salt at this time to accelerate the process.  Add cumin seeds and toast until the whole thing smells and looks yummy.  (3 min)

My pictures are all low-light, sorry.

  While that toasts, you can add your lentils, beet greens, corn, and spices to the crockpot.

Add your sauteed veggies and the water or stock to the crockpot, stir well, cover, and cook on low for 4-8 hours.

You can add rice to temper the heat (make it separately is my advice) but it works well without.  Also, this dish should be very nutritious.  That's not something I can say about all the things I cook, believe me.

Beet greens:

good source of Protein, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Lentils:

good source of Protein, Iron, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Folate and Manganese

Carrots:

good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6 and Manganese.

Up next, chicken pot pie and spinning.  (I told you that not everything I make is healthy!)