Recipe from here

This is the second time I have made this soup- this week. It is that good. Maybe because I have been feeling sick- or maybe because the weather has gotten cooler - either way- this makes a great meal. Its pretty easy too. I decided to use my slow cooker for this one- but you can do it without (the directions don't call for a slow cooker). And as always- I couldn't just follow the recipe- I had to go and add my own ingredients to it. Last time I added chopped carrots and tons of extra garlic and also doubled the curry powder. This time I added extra carrot, curry powder, and added celery. I'm sure it will be just as good as last time. I doubled the recipe - I usually make things harder for myself by adding ingredients and doubling recipes- but I figure if you're gonna go to all the trouble to cook something- may as well share, right?! Tonight I plan to share with everyone- its Lionel's Birthday, after all! So there is soup for Yunny and Loz, Lionel, Granny and Gaga, Dyllan Bug, Dan and I. Should be enough.. I hope!

You can serve this with basmati rice- or pita and hummus or both- which I'm doing tonight. Enjoy! Oh, and the best part? Its so good for you! That reminds me- quick story... On Monday when I first made this- I was down at the grocery store shopping for ingredients- and in the refrigerator section- there were "Fresh Organic Soups" on display. They looked fantastic- the packaging looked healthy- the soup looked healthy- the names sounded good "Pumpkin Ginger Lentil Soup" (or something like that) - anyway- I say it and thought... why bother making soup if I can buy pretty much the same soup here already made?! The little bag (which probably serves two) cost $7- so out of curiosity I checked the back for ingredients.. expecting to find something similar to my recipe.. but was surprised to see that not only did 30% of the soup contain potato (a filler!) but it also listed sugar! RUDE. You package yourself as organic- you appear healthy.. and your price tag confirms these assumptions.. but no. So I put the bag back.. and finished getting my ingredients. Just a little reminder I guess.. to look at the ingredients. Packaging and wording is so misleading! It probably cost me about $7 to make this whole pot anyway!

Curried lentil and pumpkin soup

Curry powder makes this lentil and pumpkin soup zing.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed ** I always use way more garlic than they say
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder * Same with curry powder
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
1.75kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
5 cups vegetable stock
** I added carrots (and this time celery) chopped small

Method

Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Stir in curry powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add lentils, pumpkin, and stock. Stir until well-combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, partially covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly until pumpkin is just tender.
Serve immediately, topped with a dollop of natural yogurt if desired.

My Method

A little trick I learned from my Aunt Karen- is to wash fruits and vegis with vinegar. I filed up this spray bottle with vinegar- and I use it to wash everything (fruits vegis, counter tops, floors, cutting boards..high chairs) the smell goes away after a few min. If you use it to was your produce- you can spray it- then wash it off. Cleans better than water- and kills bacteria. And its just vinegar- so its safe! And cheap! Thats all the "fruit and vegi wash" is really anyway- so why waste your $ ?!

boil carrots, pumpkin and celery

Tons of Onion

Wear your sunglasses when you cut the onion- it didnt stop the crying but it helped! Also sticking your head in the freezer helps the tears too. Ohh, onions...

Sauted onions garlic and celery leaves- with curry

Wash then cook lentils on high in slow cooker with chicken or vegetable stock and some bay leaves
Chop carrots, pumpkin, celery and boil for 5 min- strain- throw in slow cooker
Saute onions and garlic (tons of onion and garlic) then add curry powder as directed above (but I add at least double the curry- what? I like a lot of flavor!)
Throw them in the slow cooker and cook on low till dinner time (approx 2 hours- or high for an hour) depending on how long it takes the lentils to soften.
I love Greek yogurt- so I use that on top- and I use more than just one dollop.. I use 2 or 3- and stir in in. The boys like to add cheese to theirs.. but they add cheese to everything..
Also- if you want you can pure the soup- but I kinda like it chunky. Probably most people would pure it though.. its probably the consistency its supposed to have..