Someone rather perversely reminded me the other day that bathing suit season is coming. Ugh. Already? While the weather outside is not beach-like, I guess that it will seem like an instant before warm weather and being outdoors will be here. For the warm weather, I can hardly wait, but the bathing suit ready part? Well, let just say it might need a little bit of work.
When the weather is less than stellar, I have to say, I’m a soup lover. This is a great soup, it blends warming curry spices with cauliflower, lentil and coconut, for a little bit of a creamy pick-me-up. Did I mention that it is insanely healthy for you? Clocks in at under 175 calories a serving AND is gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo and Whole30 compliant?! WHAT?!! Yup!
This is a great recipe to PIN if you need some help for dinner guests who have food issues/dietary restrictions. You will notice only how yummy it tastes! It’s pretty filling, so have a bigger bowl and eat it as a main! Throw this on your meatless Monday rotation. Leftovers are even better the next day. This soup really thickens up overnight and becomes almost a stew. (Want another SToup? Check out the Slow Cooker Moroccan SToup.)
As always, I play a lot with a recipe before I reach the final product. A shout out to The Healthy Maven – I used her recipe as my base.
Prep time: 10 minutes; Cook time: 50 minutes; Serves: 8; Nutrition: (according to MyFitnessPal) 167 calories per serving
What you need:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed but not soaked
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen, available at most grocery stores)
- 1 can 28 oz (796 ml) crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can 398 ml coconut milk (full fat – want it creamy? add an extra can)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 5 oz spinach (I loved the spinach, next time I would double this amount)
- 1 lime, juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
What you do:
- In a large dutch oven (5L pot), over medium-high heat, add your olive oil
- Add the onions and garlic, cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes
- Add your turmeric, cumin and red curry paste, stir and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, until spices get fragrent
- Add your chopped cauliflower and stir to coat, about another 2 minutes
- Add the red lentils, stir
- Add the vegetable stock, stir, scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot
- Add the crushed tomatoes, stir
- Add the salt, pepper and coconut milk, stir
- Increase heat to high, bring to a boil
- Give it a good stir to get anything let on the bottom scraped up
- Reduce heat to low, COVER and simmer for 20 minutes
- Remove lid and cook uncovered for 20 minutes
- Add spinach, stir to wilt spinach
- Add lime juice, stir
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste
- Serve
- Enjoy!
- Hello beach season, I’ll be seeing you soon!
- Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Paleo and Whole30 compliant!
