I can just tell that I’ll be making a lot of meals with the addition of pulses this fall. I’ve been researching easy dinner ideas with pulses and came across plenty of recipes that I want to try.
When I went to Victoria with my friend Alex, we ate a lot of lentil soups. I loved them so much that I created my own version as soon as I got home. I’m so glad I found a new way to enjoy pulses!
Pulses are nutritious — loaded with protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. They are gluten-free and vegan. Yay! As an added bonus, they’re really versatile, inexpensive, cook up quickly, and are good for the environment. What’s not to love? I’m partnering with Pulse Canada to share these easy dinner ideas with pulses, including two of my own South Asian inspired recipes.
Vegan Curry Lentil Soup
Print recipe
| Serves | 8 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 45 minutes |
| Total time | 1 hour |
| Dietary | Vegan, Vegetarian |
| Misc | Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tsp teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 stalk celery (diced)
- 1 carrot (sliced (then cut circled in half))
- ½onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes (I cut the pieces up a bit, since I don't like chunks of tomatoes)
- 1 ½ cup green lentils
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder (or fresh ginger)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon mild vinegar (or lemon juice)
- ½ bunch spinach (or kale)
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| In a large pot, turn heat to medium. | |
| Step 2 | |
| Add cumin seeds until they "pop"/roast - usually 1 minute. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Add olive oil, celery, carrot, and onion. | |
| Step 4 | |
| Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. | |
| Step 5 | |
| Add garlic (and fresh ginger if not using powdered). | |
| Step 6 | |
| After 1 minute, add salt and pepper to taste. | |
| Step 7 | |
| Add broth, diced tomatoes, washed and drained lentils, bay leaf, and all remaining spices. | |
| Step 8 | |
| Cover for 15 minutes and simmer. | |
| Step 9 | |
| Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, another 15 minutes. Check in 10 minutes to see if lentils are soft. | |
| Step 10 | |
| Add spinach and vinegar. | |
| Step 11 | |
| Serve warm, when spinach is wilted. | |
Why this vegan curry lentil soup is awesome for fall:
- it can be frozen for quick weeknight dinners
- it’s easy to prep ahead of time for lunches
- dinner leftovers make great, nutritious, and filling lunches
- it’s warm and comforting
I like using green lentils in this soup, because they cook quickly but don’t get mushy, either. You can substitute other lentils, like french lentils, if you’d like.
I used turmeric, a bay leaf, coriander, cumin seeds, garlic, and garam masala in this soup.
I often like to eat soup with a side salad. Or I have a “big” salad, like the character Elaine always does in the TV show Seinfeld. If my salads are meals on their own, I like to include ingredients that will add some bulk, so they’re more filling and full of nutrients. My go-to salad topper are crunchy, roasted chickpeas.
Roasted chickpeas are:
- super-easy to make and customize
- deliciously crunchy on top of salads (standing in for croutons)
- full of protein
- great for snacking on anytime of day
- inexpensive
- something you can prepare in batches and store
My favourite kind of roasted chickpeas are what I like to call Masala Roasted Chickpeas, which I used as croutons in the salad, below:
Here’s how to make Masala Roasted Chickpeas:
- Pre-heat oven to 450° F
- Mix 1 can of chickpeas (juice removed – use it to make chocolate mousse!), 2 tbsp olive oil, and 1 tsp salt
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes
- Remove and mix with ½ tsp of each (to taste): black pepper, cinnamon powder, ground cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg.
If you make either of these recipes, please tag me so I can check them out!
I’m @tazimdamji on Twitter and @celebratelifesadventures on Instagram.
I’ve taken the Pulse Pledge to commit to eating ½ cup of pulses once a week for 10 weeks, because I am challenging myself to come up with new ways to cook/bake with pulses. Join me at www.pulsepledge.com to take the Pulse Pledge! You’ll get recipes, meal ideas, and tips on how to cook pulses – all for free!
For more recipes using a variety of pulses, follow @pulsecanada on Twitter and “like” Pulse Canada’s Facebook page.
