For Thanksgiving at my sister in law's this past year I brought a lentil salad recipe I found in
(or as Ben calls it, Better Homes and Gardens Than Yours) that had a dressing made with red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard and it freaking rocked. Like, it was ALMOST as good as the cornbread stuffing that our friend Meredith brought, and stuffing + cornbread are two of my most favorite foods.
A lot of people tell me I'm an amazing cook (and I will accept all compliments and accolades gladly, hehe), but really my secret is just paying attention to what I eat! If I eat something that makes me think
OMG this is the most delicious thing ever
, I make a mental note and try to remember the components of what made it so yummy to me.
When I'm making dinner I rarely follow a recipe exactly. I usually take inspiration from my hoard of cookbooks and magazines or the memory of a delicious meal I had at a restaurant and put my own spin on it. Once you start to learn what flavors go well together and some basic cooking skills, you'll become a chef too. (I started with Easy Mac, pasta with frozen garlic bread, Lean Pockets, and Hamburger Helper in college, so if I can learn how to cook you can too. I believe in you!)
Anyway, last week we were down to a few bare scraps in the fridge and I threw together this lentil soup that was inspired by our Thanksgiving side dish. It turned out to be the best lentil soup I've ever had! Healthy, hearty, savory, delicious, and you probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry. Try it this weekend!
The Best Lentil Soup Ever
serves 4
Ingredients
-1T olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-4 carrots, chopped
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 cup green lentils, rinsed
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tsp dried thyme
-4 cups broth
-1 cup water
-1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
-2T Dijon mustard
-2T red wine vinegar
-green onions
Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the onion, carrots, and garlic in olive oil until partially cooked, about 3-4 minutes. Add lentils, herbs and spices, broth, and water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes or until lentils are soft (the best way to test doneness is try a bite!). Stir in the beans, mustard, and vinegar and simmer for another 5 minutes. Top with chopped green onions and enjoy!
Toast and peanut butter makes the perfect side to lentil soup.
(21 Day Fix: 1 yellow, 1 green, 1 tsp per serving. Makes 4 servings.)