News & Notes
Seasonal Food
I know California has a (mostly) temperate clime, but I have been feeling a chill in the air. Also, it’s a hectic time of year – the perfect time for a one-pot meal made with simple ingredients, most of which are pantry staples at my home.
This month, I share a variation of bon appétit’s Curried Lentil Soup. Rather than using commercially-available curry powder, I substitute the blend my mom used to make curried chicken. (I think she got it from The Spice Islands Cookbook.)
Seasonal Nutrition
Carrots give us vitamin A (visual system health, proper growth and development); vitamin K (aids blood clotting, bone health); biotin (manufacture and utilization of fats and protein, healthy metabolism); and fiber.
Garlic is a very good source of manganese (blood sugar control, thyroid hormone function); selenium (antioxidant); and Vitamin C.
Coriander (cilantro) has anti-inflammatory properties, and is an antimicrobial.
Turmeric contains curcumin (causing its yellow pigment) and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Cumin is a digestive aid and can enhance detoxification
Ginger relieves gastrointestinal distress by aiding digestion, and reducing gas.
Black pepper stimulates stomach acid secretions to improve digestion, is an antioxidant and has antibacterial properties.
Red pepper contains capsaicin and is a pain reliever, digestive aid, and anti-ulcer.
Cinnamon is also a digestive aid, and more research is being conducted on its blood-sugar-lowering effects.
Lentils are a great source of fiber that can lower blood cholesterol levels, help manage blood sugar levels, and studies have shown an association with reduce breast cancer risk. Lentils contain the amino acids arginine (wound healing, detoxification) and lysine (bone development, calcium absorption).
Chickpeas (garbanzos) are an excellent source of molybdenum (alcohol detoxification, metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids), and a good source of fiber and protein.
Butter is a good fat; I always pick butter over margarine or other trans-fat containing manufactured fats.
Seasonal Recipe: Curried Lentil Soup
This is the recipe my mom used to make her delicious curried chicken. This yields 2 T of curry powder. Mix together:
1 T ground coriander
1 t ground turmeric
1 t ground cumin
½ t ground ginger
½ t freshly ground black pepper
¼ t ground red pepper
1 stick cinnamon, about 2 inches long
3 T extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, chopped, divided
2 T (or more) curry powder (see above)
1 C French green lentils
4 ¼ C (or more) water, divided
1 can (15- or 16-oz) garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
Salt & pepper, to taste
Garnish
2 T green onions, thinly sliced
1 lemon, cut into wedges
plain yogurt
fresh cilantro
- Over medium flame, heat 1 T EVOO in a large, heavy pot.
- Add onion and carrot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally – about 4 minutes.
- Add half of the chopped garlic; stir until the vegetables are soft, but not brown – about 4 minutes more.
- Add 2 T curry powder; stir until fragrant – about 1 minute.
- Add lentils and 4 C water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until lentils are tender – about 30 minutes.
- While soup is simmering, puree the garbanzo beans, lemon juice, 1/4 C water, 2 T EVOO, and remaining garlic in a food processor.
- Add garbanzo puree and butter to the soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder if desired.
- Add water by ¼ cupfuls to thin soup to desired consistency.
- Garnish with lemon wedge, yogurt, green onions and cilantro. Serve warm.
French green lentils are available at some grocery stores (I purchased mine in bulk from Whole Foods). If you can’t find French green lentils, or if you prefer another type of lentil, just substitute your favorite(s).
I took the easy route and purchased canned garbanzo beans. Always look for BPA-free cans, and substitute low-sodium if you need or want to do so. There are enough spices and salt in the recipe for a flavorful soup.
You can save time by purchasing commercially-made curry powder. Check the ingredients to see what different manufacturers’ recipes have in them.
To the vegetarians and vegans – lentils alone do not provide complete protein. Whole grains or nuts and seeds complement legumes for a complete protein. You can skip the butter altogether, or, substitute some EVOO or even coconut oil (and create a slightly different flavor profile).
To the meat lovers out there – my friends and I added mild Italian sausage – casing removed and fried separately. We agreed that this was delicious and, with bread, made for a hearty meal.