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I love simple, clean, organic ingredients. I also love to cook once and use what I make in different ways throughout the week. A little bulk prep makes it so much easier to put together nourishing meals when time gets crunched—and saves money, too!
This rustic red lentil soup has just a handful of simple ingredients. Lentils are nutritional powerhouses packed with fiber, complex carbohydrates, plant-based protein, iron, folate, and magnesium. Their combination of soluble fiber and plant protein helps support healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels while keeping you satisfied.
Iron is particularly important for transporting oxygen throughout the body and supporting energy, while folate is essential for healthy cell growth and red blood cell formation.
I love topping the soup with my shredded kale salad for extra crunch, fiber, and nutrients. Kale is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as antioxidant plant compounds. The simple apple cider vinaigrette adds the perfect tang.
If you’re tired of brown rice or quinoa, try coconut black rice! Black rice gets its deep purple-black color from anthocyanins—the same family of antioxidant plant compounds found in blueberries. The coconut milk makes it rich and satisfying.
Make all three at the beginning of the week and mix and match them for easy meals. Serve the soup and salad on their own, add your favorite protein, or combine all three for a hearty plant-based meal.
Rustic Red Lentil Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves 4–6
- 1 large red onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for roasting
- Himalayan sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup filtered water
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- Fresh lemon juice, for serving
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel the onion and garlic and toss lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Wrap in foil and roast the garlic for approximately 25 minutes and the onion for 30 to 35 minutes, until tender and golden around the edges.
Meanwhile, add the lentils, water, vegetable broth, carrots, sea salt, and black pepper to a large soup pot.
Simmer for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, until the lentils and carrots are tender.
Add the roasted onion and garlic and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Carefully transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add additional vegetable broth if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Finish with fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. I love topping mine with the shredded kale salad below.
Shredded Kale Salad
Total Time: 10 minutes
Serves 4–6
- 1 medium head lacinato kale, thinly sliced
- Roasted sunflower seeds, for topping
- Nutritional yeast, to taste
For the Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Himalayan sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper.
Add enough dressing to lightly coat the kale. Massage it into the leaves with your hands until the kale begins to soften.
Top with roasted sunflower seeds and nutritional yeast to your liking.
Coconut Black Rice
- 1 cup organic black rice
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened organic coconut milk
- 1/2 cup organic vegetable broth
- 1-inch piece kombu, optional
- Himalayan sea salt, to taste
Add the black rice, coconut milk, vegetable broth, and kombu, if using, to a saucepan.
Cook according to the rice package directions, adjusting the liquid if needed for your particular variety of rice.
Remove the kombu before serving and season with Himalayan sea salt.
Serve alongside the soup and kale salad, or make a big batch at the beginning of the week to use as a nourishing side with your favorite protein.
Note: For breakfast, you can reheat the coconut black rice with cinnamon and a splash of unsweetened almond milk. Top with fresh berries and a small drizzle of pure maple syrup or raw honey. Pair with your favorite protein for a more balanced breakfast.
