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Tangy Lentil Soup with Silverbeet and Zucchini

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“This delicious Lebanese-style brown lentil soup with the goodness of greens can be served as a main course. Eating one serve of dark leafy green vegetables each day can cut your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and macular degeneration. This soup is great for making ahead of time as the flavour continues to improve. Freeze leftovers in meal-sized glass containers for an easy lunch.” Sue Radd

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves: 8

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 500 g (17½ oz) brown lentils, picked over for stones and washed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-centimetre (½-inch) cubes
  • 2 medium zucchinis (courgettes), cut into 1-centimetre (½-inch) cubes
  • 1 bunch silverbeet (chard), trimmed, washed and shredded into 1-centimetre (½-inch) strips making up 600 g (about 21 oz)
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • freshly ground black pepper, optional
  • 1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
  • juice of 2 lemons

 

Method:

  1. Warm oil in a large soup pot (at least 8 litres/2 gallons)
    capacity) and sauté onions until soft.
  2. Add lentils, salt and 8 cups of water, cover with lid and bring to boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Add potato cubes and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
  4. Add zucchini, silverbeet, garlic, pepper and 4 cups of extra boiling water, and cook for a further 5 minutes until the greens just start
    to soften.
  5. Stir in coriander and lemon juice, and ladle hot into soup bowls. Serve with wholemeal Lebanese bread, if desired.

 

Per Serve:

Energy 1201 kJ (287 Cal); protein 19 g; fat 6 g; saturated fat 1 g; cholesterol 0 mg; carbohydrate 34 g; sugars 5 g; fibre 13 g; calcium 130 mg; iron 7.7 mg, sodium 457 mg

Recipe and images published with permission from Sue Radd’s new Cookbook Food as Medicine (Signs Publishing).  Food as Medicine: Eating for Your Best Health was awarded number 1, ‘Best Health & Nutrition Cookbook in the World for 2016’ by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.  It promotes adopting a more plant based dietary pattern for chronic disease prevention/treatment and environmental sustainability.