Friday 23 August 2013

Chunky Veggie Lentil Soup

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Tracey Chapman ~ Baby Can I Hold You
Creed ~Higher
The Cranberries ~ Ridiculous Thought
The Fratellis ~ Chelsea Dagger
Janiva Magness ~ Find A Fool
Janiva Magness ~ You Were Never Mine!
Lacuna Coil ~ Half Life
Joan Jett ~ If Ya Want My Luv
Audioslave ~ #1 Zero
Seasick Steve ~ One True
The Eagles ~ I Don't Wanna Hear Anymore
The Commitments ~ Treat Her Right
Lady Antebellum ~ Love This Pain
NIN ~ Hurt

Mushrooms...mushrooms..mushrooms! They have always been the bane of my foodie life. And being a life long veggie now vegan..I have never craved a substitute for that 'meaty' texture. And for me...mushrooms have a shudder making texture. And I have been served them so many times by well meaning people thinking that's what every veggie needed..was just a good meaty mushroom. Well not this veggie. lol. Thank you but NO! The only way I can eat a cooked mushroom is in a meal...and that is only if the mushroom is chopped finely. And I don't really like the cooked taste of them either. Now..ask me to eat raw mushrooms in salads...I'm very happy as I love them raw.

So you can imagine how shocked ML was when presented with the recipe for the next soup on the menu. It only has one pound of the gruesome grey things in it. After many...Are you sures? It was agreed. So ML went to work and last night I was given my first bowlful to enjoy (?) lol. It smelt divine when it was bubbling away on the stove and my tum flipped when I saw the French Lentils and veggies in the wholesome brown stock. But then my tum flipped over the other way when I saw the halved button mushrooms sat in amongst the soup. Could I do this? Was I over zealous with my soup choice this time? I do believe I screamed a little in my head. lol

I spooned some stock onto my spoon as my first taster...and it was good. Then a spoonful of the veggies and lentils..very good. And then I took a deep breath and scooped up some with mushrooms amongst it. And you know what? I lived! lol. I would even go as far as saying I enjoyed them for the first few mouthfuls....but then the 'texture thing' kicked back in and every mushroom after that was a chore. But thankfully this soup is so packed with flavour it more than made up for the mushrooms. If you like mushrooms (strange folks) you will love this soup...OK that's one bowl down..only three more to go! lol. Do you they every remind anyone else of slugs? No? Just me then...

Chunky Veggie Lentil Soup
 

Chunky Veggie Lentil Soup   Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into thin rings
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup dry French Lentils, rinsed and drained
1 lb small mushrooms, halved
4 med carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cups water
14 fl oz veggie stock
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 head of napa/Chinese cabbage or red cabbage, sliced

In a large soup pot heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Stir in the lentils, stir to coat for 1 minute.

Add the mushrooms, celery, carrots, water, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, about 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Friday is a great one....

~Red~

NB: I take no credit for the creation of this recipe as its the creation of the ANON creature. But thank you. ~Red~