heartwarming and nourishing potato lentil soup

This potato lentil soup is a perfect balanced meal. High in micro-nutrients, carbs and proteins and moderate in fats. It´s easy and quick to cook and perfect for days you are seeking some comfort.

Talking about comfort – here are some gentle and comforting reminder for the Christmas holidays:

Gentle Reminder for dealing with Christmas

Christmas is already looking around the corner, so let´s make sure we are feeling well. Taking care of ourselves and nourishing our body and soul properly. For a lot of people Christmas is not relaxing and cheerful – as it should be but more hectic and stressful. Filled with anxiety and fears. Often our routine is different then to our daily life, a lot of people are around us, more food than usual and everyone kind of expects from us to be happy.

But that´s unrealistic!

• don´t do more, do less. Slow down, take rest from your workouts, read a good book, resist the urge to clean the house,…
• focus on making memories, calories, things, gifts,… all of that is less meaningful than heartwarming memories, you will look back to your whole life
• it´s okay to take time for yourself
• just because everyone is so cheerful you don´t have to feel bad about yourself, when you´re just not feeling it this year
• there are no good and bad foods
• you can have indulgent foods at any time of the year
• adjust your expectations: when life is rough right now, don´t expect Christmas to be perfect
• you are allowed to enjoy food – even when you are recovering from an eating disorder
• express your needs. Communicate, let others now, what triggers you and/or what you need right now
• reach out to friends and your support system
• no matter how it seems like – when you are struggling – you are not alone.
• food tastes better when you are not above hungry. (starving)
• you don´t have to skip breakfast before and/or after a bigger meal
• Don´t focus too much on how your body looks and what you are eating
• remind yourself of all the things food is besides of some sort of energy
• it´s just for a few days
• you already mastered worse

The recipe for the potato lentil soup

comforting lentil potato soup

Course: lunch, dinnerDifficulty: easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• vegetables to dice

• 1 kg potatoes (peeled and diced in small cubes)

• 2 red pepper (diced into very small cubes)

• 2 small onions (finely chopped)

• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)

• more ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 300g red lentils (raw)

• 1 liter vegetable broth (salted)

• 1 can diced tomatoes (400g)

• spices and herbs

• 2 tsp paprika powder

• 2 tsp curry powder

• 1/2 tsp chilli powder

• a bit of muscat and ground cumin

• dried or fresh herbs – parsley and/or basil fits really well.

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• dice up the vegetables – if you´re feeling fancy like me cut the potatoes in slices and stance some stars/hearts/whatever out.
• heat up a deep pot and add the olive oil. With a wooden spoon check if the oil is hot yet (it “bubbles”)
• add the onion and garlic, reduce the heat slightly and add the potatoes. (!!! We add the paprika later, otherwise all the vitamins will get lost!!)
• add the tomato paste and stir well. Before it burns add the lentils and stir well and add the vegetable broth and the diced tomatoes. Cover with a lid and heat it up. Once it´s boiling add the spiced (!!!not herbs, otherwise they will taste like nothing!!!)
  
• cover the lid, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. Depending on how thick you sliced the potatoes. Stir every then and now, and in case it gets too thick – add some more water. After approximately 10-15 minutes add the paprika. You shouldn´t boil the soup afterwards anymore.
  
• once the potatoes are soft, add the herbs and round it up with salt and pepper. Optional: add a tbsp of vinegar.

In case you tried this recipe for the potato lentil soup, please let me know how you liked it. Review it and/or send me a picture of it via Instagram direct messages. I love to see it, when others are remaking my recipes. Maybe you also like these two kind of oats for breakfast or snack:

• filled gingerbread baked oats
• the perfect dark chocolatey porridge