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
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium organic sweet Vidalia onion, finely chopped, or 2 tablespoons dried
- 4 medium 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 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
- Large pot
- Immersion blender
- 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 garden is 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!
