Lentil Sweet Potato Soup with Turmeric & Basil
Chef Charles Wiley
- 2 tbsp avocado or grapeseed oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 each carrot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 each sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 6 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 3/4 cup red lentils (I found them at Sprouts in bulk section)
- 1 each bay leaf
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups spinach, cut into strips (chiffonade)
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
Heat a large soup pot over medium heat Add the oil, onion, celery and carrot. "Sweat" for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, sweet potato, turmeric, and salt and pepper. Sauté a few minutes longer to cook the garlic and toast the spice. Season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper and stir. Add the vegetable broth to the soup pot and bring to a boil. Add the lentils, bay leaf, thyme and vinegar. Simmer 15-20 minutes until lentils are tender. Check seasoning.Divide the spinach between 8 warm soup bowls. Ladle the hot soup over the spinach and garnish with cilantro leaves and pine nuts.
