Lentil and Macaroni Soup

I know what you might be thinking.  Lentils and macaroni?? What the heck kind of combo is that? It sounds like something that a college student throws together when they don't know how to cook.  Believe me, I did too.  But something about it made me want to try it and I'm glad I did.

This soup is a great healthy comfort food that is filling, but not full of calories and fat.  It's perfect when you're watching both your waistline and your wallet as the ingredients are cheap and stuff we usually have on hand.  Each serving, which is a hearty 2 cups (an entire soup bowl!) is only 200 calories and 3 grams of fat!

I got the recipe from newest recipe book that my mom got me, Good Housekeeping's Soups and Stews.  Yes, she has gotten me another one (2 actually) since the last blog entry. That woman knows my weakness and keeps me supplied.  I made a few adjustments to make it suit my taste.  I added a bit of lemon to brighten up the flavors and put in some bullion to add some depth.  The original recipe called for Swiss chard, but I only had spinach on hand, and I think it worked very nicely.

Serve with some crusty bread for a healthy and hardy meal!

Enjoy!

Lentil and Macaroni Soup
Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
1 can (14 ounces) whole tomatoes in puree (or crushed tomatoes in juice, if unavailable)
1 can (14 ounces) vegetable broth
3/4 cup lentils
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon vegetable bullion (if you don't have, add a bit more salt to the soup)
6 cups water
1 pound fresh spinach
3/4 cup elbow macaroni
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
Lemon juice
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a nonstick 5-to-6-quart Dutch oven (or large soup pot), heat oil over medium heat until hot.  Add carrots, onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and golden, about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes with their puree, broth, lentils, salt, pepper, thyme, bullion and water; heat to boiling, stirring to break up tomatoes with side of spoon.  Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until lentils are almost tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in spinach and macaroni; heat to boiling over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered, until macaroni is tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in basil.  Serve with Parmesan cheese, if you like, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.

Lentils and Rice with Fried Onions (Mujadarrah)

This is what we are having for dinner tonight. It's a classic Arabic comfort food and is so simple, yet so good. Don't be turned off by the lack of ingredients; its beauty is in its simplicity.

The dish gets a lot of its flavor from the onions being caramelized, so don't worry about cooking them too long. You want them dark and almost burnt. The yogurt topping is a must, too. The Arabic yogurt has an extra tang to it and can be found in Middle Eastern markets, but plain yogurt can be used just as easily.

Some people add a bouillon cube to the pot, but I never do. If you worry that it might be too bland by the description, go ahead and add a veggie or chicken one, but traditionalists would shake their heads.

This recipe will make plenty, and leftovers taste even better the next day for lunch!

Lentils and Rice (Mujadarrah)
Served 4

6 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 large white onions, sliced into rings
1 cup uncooked green or brown lentils
1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice
One healthy pinch of ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup or more leban (Arabic yogurt) or plain yogurt

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until they are very brown and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Place lentils in a medium saucepan with enough lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 15 minutes, making sure the water doesn't cook out.

3. Stir rice and enough water to cover into the saucepan of lentils. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Cover saucepan, reduce heat to low, and continue to simmer 15-20 minutes until rice and lentils are tender. If water cooks out before rice is done, just add a little more.

4. Mix half the onions into the lentil mixture. Top with yogurt and remaining onions to serve.

Moroccan Lentil Soup

Another old standby.... I can count on this recipe when I'm stumped about what to make. It's hearty and flavorful, filled with fiber and protein. It's also cholesterol-free!

This can be made as is or spiced up even more. Personally, we love spicy food in this family, so I fire it up by adding a spoonful of Indian red curry paste. But it's just as tasty as is.

Red lentils are sometimes called Indian dals. They aren't too hard to find, especially at Indian or Middle Eastern markets. I've seen them sometimes in the international section of grocery stores. Green lentils could be used in a pinch, but the red lentils really make the recipe unique.

The garam masala is a very special Indian spice mixture that is necessary for the dish. This can also be found at most Indian markets or sometimes the gourmet section of grocery stores.

Don't feel tied to the exact amounts and types of beans in the recipe; I unusually just throw in whatever I have in my pantry. I'd stick to the "white" beans, though.

Serve with warm pita.

I got this recipe off of Allrecipes.com and added some modifications.

Moroccan Lentil Soup
Serves 6

2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (don't use dried)
6 cups water or veggie broth
1 cup red lentils
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
1 19-ounce cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 large yukon potato, diced (or any type of potatoes you have on hand)
2 teaspoon garam masala
3/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (add red curry paste for added spice)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste (start with 1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 bunch cilantro, sliced thin crosswise (optional)

1. In a large pot, sauté the onions, garlic and ginger in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.

2. Add water or broth, lentils, chick peas, white kidney beans, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celery, garam masala, cardamom, cayenne pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil for a few minutes, and then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer, until lentils are soft.

3. Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender and stir into soup (optional step).

4. Top with cilantro (optional).