Lentil Soup with Spinach
This robust yet light soup is so easy and so good. French green lentils hold their shape when cooked. Combined with spinach or arugula it is all shades of spring.
Serves 6
2 cups French green lentils
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
1 heaping teaspoon lemon zest ( I seem to do heaping teaspoons of everything)
2 cups baby spinach or arugula
2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cover the lentils with about 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes until they are softened. Drain. Warm the oil in a soup pot and add the onions and garlic. Saute until slightly golden — about 8 minutes. Add the spinach or arugula and saute for a couple minutes until it wilts. Add the cumin, lemon zest, lentils, broth, 2 cups of water, bring to a boil then simmer for fifteen minutes. Stir in the cilantro and season to taste. Even if there are only one or two people to feed, make this one and freeze some for another night.
Nutrition Information Per Serving (based on 4 servings):
Calories: 292
Fat: 6 gm
Saturated Fat: 1 gm
Trans Fat: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrate: 42 gm
Fiber: 20 gm
Sugars: 2 gm
Sodium: 38 mg (without added salt)
Protein: 19 gm
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Spinach, Mushroom, and Spring Onion Pizza
This pizza was inspired by the producers at a local farmers’ market. The baby spinach was so green, there were all kinds of mushrooms, and spring onion bulbs of purple majesty were prominently displayed. We recommend cooking everything first so it would stick together and not jump off of the crust in the oven.
Serves 3-4
One 12″ pizza crust
8 cups baby spinach leaves (or something close —doesn’t matter)
6 spring onions, purple part sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound mushrooms (I used a mixture of shiitake and cremini)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces mozzarella, shredded
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Sauté the onions in a small amount of oil until soft. Add the garlic for about a minute. Remove to a small bowl. Turn the heat up to medium high. Add a little more oil and sauté the mushrooms. Remove to the bowl with the onions and garlic. Add the rest of the oil and sauté the spinach leaves just until they are wilted. Add the vegetable mixture back to the pan and toss with the spinach. Season to taste. Spread this out on the crust, top with the cheese, and bake for 11 minutes.
Nutrition Information Per Serving (based on 4 servings):
Calories: 175
Fat: 10 gm
Saturated Fat: 3 gm
Trans Fat: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 9 mg
Carbohydrate: 14 gm
Fiber: 2 gm
Sugars: 2 gm
Sodium: 213 mg
Protein: 9 gm
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