Green Thai Lentil Soup

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Green Thai Lentil Soup

It is Winter Season here in Scotland and is -4 deg today and very snowy. There is nothing better that a big pot of homemade soup to warm you up on days like this. I had a big pack of lentils in the cupboard and was going to make a traditional carrot & lentil soup but then I discovered some Green Thai paste hiding behind my tin of custard & yes you’ve guessed it Green Thai Lentil Soup it was. Just the ticket too, with the spice it really warmed us up lovely and was very satisfying and filling. Another great recipe to add to the collection.

Makes enough for 4 servings

150g Green Lentils, pre-soaked and rinsed ready to cook

1 Large Sweet Potato, chopped into cubes

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

1 Piece Fresh Ginger, grated (about 2cm)

50g Thai Green Curry Paste, (I used the Blue Dragon one)

1 400g Can Coconut Milk

1 Tbsp Dried Coriander & small handful chopped fresh to serve

1/2 litre Vegetable Stock

Juice of 1 Lemon (about 1 Tbsp)

  1. In a large pan, heat the oil and cook the garlic and ginger for a few minutes then add in the Thai Green Paste and mix through for a further 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add in the chopped sweet potato, lentils, vegetable stock, coconut milk and lemon juice, bring to the boil then simmer covered for about 30 minutes.
  3. Remove lid and sprinkle in the dried coriander and mix through, stirring for a minute or 2.
  4. Remove from the heat and using a hand blender, blend the soup until you reach a smooth and thick consistancey.
  5. Serve with some fresh coriander on top.

This recipe is also good for batch cooking, freezing and keeping for later.

Bowl of Green Thai Lentil Soup

Pot of Green Thai Lentil Soup

Lentil & Squash Dhansak

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Lentil & Squash Dhansak

This quick and easy vegetarian meal is perfect for those Autumn and Wintry Days, a warming bowl of goodness in your tummy. Full or nutrition and good vitamins, with only around 300 calories per bowl is a great healthy option to a takeaway Curry. This is also a good recipe to batch cook with. You can serve with a toasted naan on the side for a more filling meal.

Serves 4

300g Sweet Potato – chopped and diced into 2cm cubes

300g Butternut Squash – chopped and diced into 2cm cubes

2 White Onions, diced

2 tbsps Mild Curry Powder

2 tbsps Garam Masala Powder

1 x 400g Tin Chopped Tomatoes

1 x 400g Tin Coconut Milk

1 x 400g Tin Green Lentils

200g Spinach – chopped

Sunflower & Pumpkin Seeds to garnish (yoghurt optional)

  1. Steam cook the Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash, place in a microwaveable bowl with 2 tbsps water and cover, cook on medium level for 10 minutes. (you could always roast in oven for about 35 mins too)
  2. While cooking add a little oil to a pan and cook the onions until softened, add the curry powder, garam masala powder and mix through. Add the tin tomatoes and coconut milk, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to allow sauce to thicken slightly.
  3. To the sauce add the sweet potato and butternut squash along with the lentils and spinach, season and mix through, allow to simmer for a few minutes.
  4. Serve into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of seeds.
Pot of Lentil & Squash Dhansak

Harissa Spice Beef Soup

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A Bowl of Harissa Spice Beef Soup

A Moroccan inspired recipe and perfect for coming into the Winter months, it’s hearty, filling and warming. It is also a great batch cook recipe, make the soup up to 3 days ahead, cover and keep in the fridge. Freeze portions in food bags for up to 3 months. Add a splash of water when reheating.

Serves 4

300g Scottish Steak Mince (or any good quality beef mince)

1 Red Onion – chopped

1 Garlic Clove – crushed

400g Tin Tomatoes

1 tbsp Gram Masala

2 tsps Harissa Paste

1 litre Beef Stock

250g Puy Lentils (I used the pre cooked ones from Merchant Gourmet, my fav)

1 tbsp Dried Coriander

150g Spinach, chopped

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

  1. Heat a little oil in a casserole dish on medium to high heat, add the mince with seasoning and brown, about 6-8 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon.
  2. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add in the Gram Masala, Harissa Paste and stir, next add the tin tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes to reduce down slightly.
  3. Return the mince to the pot with the beef stock, bring to the boil then simmer and cook covered for about 30 minutes.
  4. Add the lentils, spinach and coriander to the pot and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
  5. Serve into bowls.

Casserole pot of Harissa Spice Beef Soup

Spicy Chicken & Lentil Curry

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I first saw this recipe on Food for fitness, Scott Baptie is a Sports nutritionist, Director of Food For Fitness. Online trainer. Speaker. High protein cook. Magazine cover model & fitness writer. He specialises in fat loss, muscle gain and nutrition. His recipes are delicious and so nutritious, so when I seen this recently I had to give it a try. At only 164 calories per portion (without the chicken), who wouldn’t? I used green lentils and added chicken for a more filling meal.

 

Makes 4 portions

Spray oil with coconut oil

2 onions, diced

10g ginger, crushed

10g garlic, crushed

200g green lentils (or red) rinsed

350ml vegetable stock

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp gram masala

1 tsp dried chillies

400g chopped tomatoes

400g coconut milk – reduced fat

2 chicken breasts

Seasoning

Fresh coriander, chopped

 

  1. Heat spray oil in a large pan.
  2. Add the diced onions with garlic and ginger and cook until softened. Remove from pan
  3. Add the seasoned chicken to the pan with the gram masala, chillies and cumin and cook until chicken is browned.
  4. Add the onions back to the pan with the lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil then gently simmer with lid for about 30 minutes.
  5. Remove lid and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken.
  6. Serve with some fresh coriander. Yummy!

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Lentil and Spinach Masala

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Having some left over Masala Paste from the other nights curry, I wanted to try something different and a bit more healthier but filling, which means only 1 thing to me Lentils!

Lentils are so healthy and include all these beneficial nutrients like fibre, protein, minerals and vitamins, they are still low in calories and contain virtually no fat. One cup of cooked lentils only contains about 230 calories, but still leaves you feeling full and satisfied.

Makes for 2 large portions or 4 smaller portions if having with an accompaniment.

3 tbsp Masala Paste

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion – finely chopped

1 garlic glove – chopped

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tin of coconut milk – I use the lighter option to make it healthier

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160g Red lentils, in my house it has to be Great Scot!

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1 bag of fresh spinach (about 300g)

100ml vegetable stock

 

  1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion for a few minutes.
  2. Add in the masala paste and cook for another minute
  3. Add in the tomatoes and coconut milk then bring to the boil
  4. Pour in the lentils and reduce heat to a simmer, cook for about 25 mins until lentils are soft.                                                                                                      20170112_155931
  5. Add in the stock, mix through then add in the spinach and allow to wilt for a minute.
  6. Remove and Serve…Yum!

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Chicken and Lentil Curry

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Yet again I amaze myself with an absolutely delicious curry, another one for my favourites list. So healthy too and filling.

 

Serves 2

2 Chicken Breasts

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp gram masala

1 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 cloves

1 tsp salt

1 chopped onion

1 chopped chilli

2 tsp ginger

1 yellow and 1 red pepper – diced

1 tsp garlic powder or 1 fresh clove

250ml beef stock

1 cup lentils

200ml coconut milk

parlsey

salt & pepper

 

  1. Put spices into a tub, turmeric, gram masala, cumin, salt, pepper, cloves and garlic. Dice the chicken and rub in the spice mix to coat.                                                                                         20161119_161617
  2. Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan and add the chicken to brown.                        20161119_162523
  3. Add in the chilli, onion and peppers and cook for a few minutes.
  4. Pour in the beef stock and lentils bring to boil then simmer and cook for about 1.5 hrs.
  5. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer further for another 1.5 hrs. If too watery, remove lid and simmer uncovered until sauce has thickened (about 15 mins).
  6. Serve and top with some fresh parsley. Yum!

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Lentil Salad with Apple and Lovage

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This recipe was inspired by fellow blogger Fae’s Twist & Tango, I have changed it slightly to suit what I had in my cupboard’s but all the same it was absolutely delicious, you can see the original recipe here from http://fae-magazine.com/2016/06/16/lentil-salad/.

 

50g Yellow Split peas

50g Green Lentils

2 tbsp Olive Oil (a good one)

1 lemon – juice off

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground rainbow peppercorns

1 medium apple, diced with skin – I used Golden Delicious

Handful of chopped Lovage (this is an erect, herbaceous, perennial plant growing to 1.8–2.5 m, the stems and leaves are shiny green to yellow-green and smell somewhat similar to celery when crushed.)

15g Almonds – chopped

 

  1. Firstly cook the lentils, bring about 500ml water to boil and boil for 10 mins then reduce to a simmer for about 20 mins.
  2. While lentils are cooking, prepare the dressing:- Olive oil, lemon juice, honey, ginger, salt, pepper mix together in a bowl.
  3. Once lentils are ready pour in dressing a mix through.
  4. Empty in with the apple, almonds and lovage and mix through.
  5. Serve in a dish and enjoy!

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Lentil Dhal and Masala Potato Curry

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I cheated a bit with the dahl and bought ready cooked lentils, if using from scratch it can take 2-3 hours of cooking.

Serves 2

For the Lentil Dahl

1 x packet of Green lentils (250g)

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1 tsp ginger

1tsp garlic

1tsp olive oil

1 tbsp chilli

200g chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp Tamarind paste (or you could use Kasoori methi)

 

  1. Pour oil into a pan and heat, add in ginger, garlic and cook for 1 min.
  2. Add in the butter and let melt, add in the tamarind paste and chilli and mix through, then add in the lentils and chopped tomatoes. Mix through and heat for 4-5 mins. Ready to serve.

 

For the Masala Potato Curry

300 salad potatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

200 g chopped tomatoes

1 red chilli chopped

1tsp ground coriander

1 tbsp cumin

1 medium onion chopped

2 tbsp fresh coriander for garnish

 

  1. Wash and chop potatoes into 2cm cubes.
  2. heat oil in a pan, add in cumin. coriander and onion, cook for 5 mins.
  3. Add in the chilli and potatoes and season with salt and pepper
  4. Add 200ml of water, cover and cook for 8 mins
  5. add the chopped tomatoes and cook uncovered for 7 mins or until tender
  6. Ready to serve, then garnish with fresh coriander

If you don’t like it too spicy, use 1/2 chilli and 1tsp cumin instead.

 

Serve both with some Chapati….YUMMY!

Chorizo, Sausage and Lentil Stew

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Had some leftover Chorizo in fridge, so I decided to mix up my Lentil stew recipe. Please trust me…it tastes better than it looks..lol! Still learning my photography.

Serves 2

200g Brown Lentils

1 red onion chopped finely

1 carrot sliced

1 garlic clove

1 tsp chilli

1 tsp parsley

220g tin chopped tomatoes

250ml beef stock

1 bay leaf

pinch salt and pepper

50g-75g Chorizo

4-6 Aberdeen Angus Beef Sausages (halved)

 

1. Brown onions and garlic in a saucepan with spray oil or tsp olive oil until soft

2. Add in lentils, carrot, chilli, parsley, chopped tomatoes, stock, salt & pepper and bay leaf, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile brown sausages and chorizo in a pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil for 5 mins, remove with slotted spoon and add to stew, simmer for a further 25-30 minutes.

4. Serve with some crusty bread. Yum!

Spice Lentil Soup

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This is a yummy, spicy lentil soup that pleases your palate and your tummy!

 

Serves 4 – per serving: 142 calories, 4.1g fat or which 2.1g sat. fat, Carbs 18.3g, Protein 5.7g

100g Red Lentils

100g Green Lentils

1/2 tsp olive oil or spray oil

1 onion

3 tsp. ground coriander

3 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. chilli flakes

4 carrots

1.5 litres chicken stock

 

1. Wash and drain lentils

2. Chop onion and saute for 5 mins in oil then add in the spices and stir for a further few mins.

3. Add in the carrots, lentils and stock and bring to the boil, then simmer for 40 mins.

4. Once cooked, blend with a mixture to a smooth texture.  Serve with some fresh parsley or a spoonful of yoghurt (optional)

Lentil and Bacon Soup

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lentiltomatobaconsoup

I love Lentils, filling, tasty and full of goodness. It has to be the Great Scot lentils though, they are just the best.

Makes approx 6 bowls – per serving about 85 calories. 

200g Split Red Lentils (Great Scots)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 white onion – chopped

3 carrots – chopped

5 celery sticks – chopped

1 small potato – cubed

4/5 smoked back bacon – chopped

2.5 pints water

1 vegetable stock cube (knorr)

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

 

1. pour oil into soup pan and heat through

2. Add in bacon and fry until juice runs, then add in onion and fry for another 2 mins

3. Add in carrot, celery, potatoes and lentils and stir for further 2 mins

4. Add in veg stock cube and parsley then top with water, and season.

5. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 40 mins.

6. With a hand blender or masher mix until smooth or until desired consistency

7. Serve with some warm crusty bread.