Soups are such a staple in the fall months. On a chilly day, soup just warms you from the inside out and is so satisfying and delicious. Many store-bought soups, however, are filled with sodium and preservatives that we want to keep out of our diets. Making simple homemade soups takes less time than you’d think and brings the same delicious satisfaction plus the added benefit of being filled with healthful, delicious ingredients. Our Kale and Lentil soup is a favorite in our home for lunch and dinner in the cool months, but is wonderful all year round.
What You Will Learn
- How to Make Kale and Lentil Soup
- What Makes Kale and Lentil Soup so Healthy
- Variations for Kale and Lentil Soup Recipes
How to Make Kale and Lentil Soup
Lentil Kale Soup With Cancer-Fighting Veggies
Author: Mama Z
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium organic sweet Vidalia onion, finely chopped, or 2 tablespoons dried
- 4 medium organic garlic cloves, pressed
- 2 medium organic carrots, sliced
- 1 teaspoon organic ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon organic curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 (28-ounce) can organic diced tomatoes, drained or 28 ounces of organic tomato sauce
- 3 drops lemon essential oil
- 2 or 3 drops cumin essential oil
- 1 drop thyme essential oil
- 1 cup mixed organic red, green, and brown lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups organic vegetable broth
- 2 cups boiling purified or distilled water
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed organic lemon or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon organic cayenne pepper
- 2 small bunches organic baby kale, chopped, or 1 (10-ounce) bag organic frozen kale
Supplies:
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and carrots. Cook until the onion and garlic are very tender and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin, curry powder, and thyme, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to 1 minute to release their scent. Stir in the tomatoes, followed by the essential oils.
- Pour in the lentils, broth, 1 cup of the boiling water, and the lemon juice. Add the sea salt, white pepper, and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and immediately reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are cooked through and tender.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the entire mixture. Then add the kale and the remaining 1 cup of boiling water.
- Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes over low heat, until the kale is cooked through.
- If not serving immediately, refrigerate for up to five days or freeze the soup in smaller portions.
Why This Kale and Lentil Soup is so Healthy
Cooking with fresh, organic kale from our gardenis one of my favorite things. It makes a great addition to soups, can be cooked on its own, or added to smoothies and salads for a wonderful nutritious boost. Kale is one of our favorite superfoods – such a wonderfully nutrient-dense vegetable, packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and lots of great health benefits.
Garlic is also one of the healthiest foods you can possibly eat. In my initial research for my article about the health benefits of garlic, I was able to find more than 4,400 peer-reviewed articles talking about garlic’s unique ability to prevent and treat a plethora of diseases.
My extensive research revealed: Daily consumption of garlic is not only healthy, but it is also associated with the reversal of three of the leading causes of death globally.
In fact, I found benefits for reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and infections. This soup recipe is an excellent way to get your consumption of garlic in for the day with a delicious, hearty meal!
Olive oil health benefits are also quite profound. It’s one of the better oils when you compare it to other oils and the flavor is lovely for enhancing the soup above. Taken together, you can see how this kale and lentil soup is both delicious, and healthy! Be sure to buy the best quality olive oil you can find.
Variations for Kale and Lentil Soup for Other Delicious Options
You could use any of the cruciferous vegetables in place of (or in addition to) kale in this soup for a delicious, nutritious meal. Cruciferous vegetable cancer fighters are also known as Brassica vegetables, and they are all a part of the cabbage family. The most common options include:
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Brussel Sprouts
- Collard Greens
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Mustard Greens
- Turnips
- Rutabaga
- Arugula
- Bok Choy
- Horseradish
- Radish
- Watercress
- Wasabi
This would give you a lot of variations to play with when you’re making this soup. Use what is coming out of your garden – many of these are Fall Garden Foods you can grow in your backyard! Or buy them whenever they go on sale to save money in the grocery store.
Are you ready to make changes to your diet that will help you to eliminate toxic, store-bought foods? Join us for Dr. Z and Mama Z’s Toxic-free Healthy Home Makeover Tour and see many of the simple changes that we have made in our kitchen, pantry, garden, and other rooms in our home to create a healthier environment for our families. You’ll find wonderful, easy ways that you can begin taking steps toward a toxic-free lifestyle right away!
FAQs
Lentils have plenty of folate, iron and vitamin B1, which also support your heart health. Lentils may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease, by lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure. One study found that eating lentils led to greater reductions in blood pressure than eating chickpeas, peas or beans.
What is a good substitute for lentils in soup? ›
If you happen to run out of the legume when making a hearty lentil soup, split peas are the next best thing. With both lentils and split peas coming from the legume family, they can be used almost interchangeably. Although they look alike, they're grown and cultivated in different ways.
Do you have to soak lentils for soup? ›
The other good news: Lentils don't need to soak as beans do (though you do need to sort and rinse them before cooking). Different types of lentils cook in different amounts of time. Red lentils are the fastest cooking and they dissolve as they cook and make for a smooth soup.
Is lentil soup high in lectins? ›
Legumes, like beans and lentils, have especially high amounts of lectins. Eating raw foods that contain lots of lectins can cause digestive problems. But this is easy to avoid — rinsing and cooking deactivates lectins. Lectin-rich foods may bring health benefits, too.
Which color lentil is healthiest? ›
Black Lentils (Beluga lentils)
Best of all, black lentils are the most nutritious variety of lentils, boasting the highest amount of protein, plus high levels of calcium, potassium, and iron.
Why does lentil soup upset my stomach? ›
Eating lentils can cause gas and bloating because they're high in fiber that your body is unable to break down. While fiber plays a large role in supporting and regulating your digestive system and bowel movements, it can also produce bacteria that leads to cramping and gas pains.
What vegetables are similar to lentils? ›
Beans, peas, and lentils (also known as “pulses”) include the dried seeds that can be eaten of legumes and are a MyPlate vegetable subgroup. Legume is the scientific term that describes a type of plant that includes pods.
How do you thicken lentil soup? ›
This lentil soup should be fairly thick, but if you prefer a thicker soup, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl.
Can you overcook lentils in soup? ›
Yes, you can overcook lentils; they will become mushy. Much depends on the type of lentil you're using. Some cook quicker and hold their shape better than others. To avoid overcooking them, always follow the cooking directions in your recipe and use the type of lentils called for in the ingredient list.
Which color lentils are best for soup? ›
I recommend using green or French green lentils because they hold their shape in the soup, adding satisfying texture. Brown lentils are also a fine option.
Soak and Rinse Legumes: Before cooking legumes, soak them in water for several hours or overnight. This helps soften the legumes and removes some of the complex sugars that can contribute to gas production. Rinse the soaked legumes thoroughly before cooking.
Why did my lentil soup turn brown? ›
As the veggies hit the boiling water, volatile acids are released into the water and are carried away in the steam. When the pot is covered, the steam and the acids it contains are forced back into the water. Once there, the acids react with the chlorophyll in the vegetables, turning them an unsightly shade of brown.
Can you be allergic to lentil soup? ›
The symptoms of allergic individuals after eating lentil range from relatively mild symptoms, such as the oral allergy syndrome, to severe symptoms requiring emergency treatment such as anaphylaxis or asthma. As for most allergenic foods, urticaria (hives) and other reactions of the skin are the most common symptoms.
Do lentils cause leaky gut? ›
If you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune or thyroid disease or believe you have a leaky gut, you should avoid these inflammatory foods: Grains and pseudo-grains include wheat, barley, rye, quinoa, buckwheat, chia seeds, and more. Legumes such as lentils, peanuts, chickpeas, and soybeans.
What are the symptoms of too much lectin? ›
The Problem With Lectins
The most publicized accounts report severe reactions in people eating even small amounts of raw or undercooked kidney beans. They contain phytohaemagglutinin, a type of lectin that can cause red blood cells to clump together. It can also produce nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, and diarrhea.
How often can you eat lentil soup? ›
In terms of how often you should be eating lentils, enjoying them a few times per week is ideal to reap all their amazing benefits.
Is lentil soup healthier than chicken noodle soup? ›
Your body (particularly your liver) makes all the cholesterol you need. Many of us get excess cholesterol from animal foods, like meat and dairy. Lentils also contain antioxidants that may help prevent atherosclerosis, when plaque builds up in the arteries. Lentils have fiber.
Is lentil soup protein or carb? ›
Calories And Nutrition Facts For Lentil Soup
One and 1/3 cup of this hearty lentil soup provides 320 calories, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fiber, 18 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol and 650 milligrams of sodium.
Does lentil soup spike blood sugar? ›
No matter which type of lentil was chosen, this pulse proved to have a beneficial effect on blood sugar, keeping it low, especially when eaten regularly, and as a replacement for starchy foods, according to Ramdath. The minimum amount to keep blood sugars from rising is ¼ cup dried pulses.
