1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger puree
1 small carrot, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup dried lentils
1 cup coconut milk
salt and pepper

1. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat and sauté onion, ginger, garlic and carrot until tender.
2. Stir in the turmeric, stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
3. Add the lentils, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until lentils are softened, about 40 minutes.
4. Puree the soup with a hand blender, stir in coconut milk and heat just enough to warm. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

First day back on the job and having not yet been grocery shopping, I'm determined to make a better lentil soup than the stuff at The Falafel House. I settled on a simple Coconut Lentil Soup that is more like a tomato based stew than a soup. The tomato slices pictured did absolutely nothing for the soup whatsoever, but I do think it made a pretty garnish! I served it with a slice of sourdough bread, lightly toasted and brushed with a clove of garlic.

Shannon absolutely loved this soup, as did I. Considering it cost maybe a dollar to make an entire pot, is quite filling, incredibly nutritious and we both loved it, it's definitely going to be something I'll make again. Other spices and vegetables could easily be added to make this heartier. This is the kind of dish that anyone could make with good results, because the ingredients are so simple and very little attention is needed at any part of the process. If it were reduced a bit more and a little more seasoning was added, the leftover soup could also double as a sauce for chicken or beef.