Lentil Soup with Portobello Mushrooms & Spinach
by Carol Green on January 27, 2014 in Carol Green, Family Nutrition
Lentils are a great, inexpensive way to provide quality protein in your family’s diet, with 10 to 13 grams of protein per ¼ cup, depending on the type of lentil.
A visit to your local supermarket will yield many types of lentils, there are at least 14 different varieties the most common being the brown, red and green lentils. My personal favorite is the French Green Lentil, or ‘Lentille de Puy’ which is actually from a particular region in France and in my opinion the most flavorful.
Adjust your cooking time according to the variety used, the lentil should be ‘al dente’ firm yet soft to the bite and not mushy.
Ingredients:
1 lb French Green Lentils, or lentils of choice
1/2 gallon Chicken stock
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 cup Yellow Onion, diced (1 medium)
1 cup Celery, diced (3 stalks)
1 cup Carrot, diced (3 medium)
1 cup strained Tomatoes
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 tablespoons Tamari soy sauce (gluten free)
3 large Portobello mushrooms
3 cups Baby Spinach (2 large handfuls)
1 tsp Chili Falkes
1 tsp Dried Oregano
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
Soak lentils for 12 hours in filtered water, rinse well.
Sauté onions and garlic to tender in coconut oil.
Add carrots and celery, sauté a few minutes more.
Add tomatoes, water, stock and seasonings, lentil and simmer until lentils are tender, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Mix together coconut oil, balsamic and soy sauce, and marinade mushrooms for a few minutes.
Heat grill pan, and grill mushrooms cut into small dice, and add to soup.
Stir spinach into soup right before serving.
Adjust seasoning.