This might not be the sexiest looking soup you’ve ever seen but it packs a BIG flavor punch. Also, we are slightly obsessed with lentils and how they play a part in a healthy diet.
Here’s why you should start adding lentils to your diet immediately.
Lentils are extremely rich in fiber, which makes them a great contributor to a healthy digestive tract. They are also high in folate and magnesium which helps contribute to healthy blood flow. If you are interested in having a more plant-based dietary approach, lentils are 25% protein, a vegetable with one of the highest amount of protein. They are a naturally low calorie food that keeps you feeling full for awhile.
Add this to your meal prep rotation menu. It’s a great “make ahead” healthy recipe to make on a Sunday and then enjoy all week.
Ingredients
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Yellow Onion
2 Large Carrots Chopped
3 Large Celery Stalks Chopped
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp Cumin and Paprika Powder
2 Cups Dried Organic Lentils (green, brown, red or yellow will do!) (No need to pre-soak)
6 Cups (1.5 L) Organic Vegetable Stock
1/4 tsp Salt and Pepper
1 Can Crushed Tomato
Lemon Juice and Zest (to flavor)
2 Handfuls of Spinach (added at the end)
Directions
In a large pot, saute your onion, garlic, carrots and celery with your olive oil over low heat for 5-10 minutes. This is the flavor base for your soup.
Add everything else to your pot except for your spinach and lemon. Give it a stir and allow to simmer until lentils are soft. This can take 30-35 minutes.
Option to thicken the soup! Transfer about 2 cups of soup into a blender, blend, then add back into the soup.
Finishing Touches! Drizzle on lemon juice and add lemon zest. Lastly add your spinach and mix around to allow to wilt.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Looking for a dessert that has all wholesome ingredients destined to be a crowd favorite? Give this Pumpkin Cheesecake a try!
Turkey Meatloaf is a fan favorite. This recipe is just right for those of you who want to enjoy this comfort food without expanding your waistline. Using ground turkey and homemade breadcrumbs from oatmeal, this recipe is gluten free and guilt free!
One of the perks of living in New Jersey is that my parents live about 10 minutes away. Why is this a perk? Well without getting too personal, they can do things like drop off extra food for us to cook! This weeks delivery was clams. I was super excited about this because I have yet to make clams in my kitchen tenure. I felt like it was a real right of passage for me. It was a cold dreary day (this spring has been more of a winter for us in NJ) so I thought soup would be a great option to have to warm us, well really me, Mike is always hot, up. This was my thought process: Clams...soup...Clam chowder! As I started exploring recipes I quickly came to find out that cream, butter, and white wine were staple ingredients. Now there is nothing WRONG with those foods, however I really try to keep my cooking as anti-inflammatory as possible. Plus, dairy doesn't do too well in our house hold...insert emoji with mask here....
Remember when the cow escaped from the Brooklyn slaughter house in April 2016? Well, that's all it took for Mike (and I) to stop eating red meat. the cow was doing everything it could to not get caught and go back to the slaughter house, and our dog Sherman kinda looks like a cow/pig, so no more red meat or pork in the Occhipinti house. Up until that moment our week night go-to was skirt steak on the George Foreman. Over the past two years we have made our new staple fish, particularly salmon, but even with Pintrest there are only so many ways to cook creatures of the sea.
I purchased two locally grown Gala apples last week. We’re not huge fruit eaters in this house but I figured they would get been eaten at some point during the week. Since they were still sitting on our counter this morning, I asked Mike if he just didn’t like apples.
“I like them, I just prefer them cut up,” he said.
One of the biggest complaints we hear about meal prep is that the meals can get boring. This recipe is an example of a great way to take a more generic ground turkey and rice meal and make it feel a lot more satisfying.
***For this recipe, we chose to add the rice and the turkey separately, so that we can portion out each one individually and get a better idea of the grams from carbs and protein. If you are not to concerned about knowing your exact portions you can mix the rice and turkey and add them to the pepper together.
Just as a preface to any baking recipes that I post, I am the kind of baker who mixes up teaspoons and tablespoons and occasionally uses baking soda, instead of baking powder. If you ask my mom, she will tell you I have been ruining Christmas cookie recipes for 20 years.
Why is this relevant? It means that any recipe I do is SUPER simple and if I can do it, I’m pretty sure anyone can do it!
Oatmeal is a breakfast staple in our house. However, plain rolled oats can get a little boring at times. Here's a way to eat your oatmeal that's different and delicious! You can make a batch of these and eat them on the go in the morning, as a snack later in the day, or even for dessert. The recipe is also flexible to add your own favorite ingredients like walnuts, raisins or dark chocolate!
In an effort to switch up the usual rice and potatoes side dishes, here's a healthy and simply prepared bean salad packed with all of your macronutrients, even fiber! Adding fiber to your diet is great to help keep you regular. Enjoy!
