On a cold, overcast day, Lentil Soup is such a great choice to make with grilled cheese. Our family loves to have tomato soup, literally on a weekly basis, so to shake it up today I made Lentil soup. We always have certain pantry staples on hand like carrots, onion, chicken stock or base, and a variety of spices and seasonings to make just about everything. Having these staples helps to keep the costs of meals down, while still providing a deal of variety to a weekly meal plan.
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Published January 14, 2021
Updated March 1, 2022
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Since I started making homemade foods from scratch, I realize I cannot go back to packaged foods without having complications. For instance, insomnia, gut issues, headaches, and children with a serious case of the crabby. If you have had these experiences, I would really stress making dinners from scratch ingredients to see if the processed foods are the culprit. Additionally, you will know with 100% certainty what is in your food!
Today I was blessed with a helper. Matthew helped me in the kitchen and was my camera operator, when he was not taking pictures of Levi or Elliana. And yes, that is an avocado tree I grew from a pit on the windowsill! I was even able to score an actual coffee plant from our local grocery store. It smells amazing! I enjoy having the kids in the kitchen as my helpers, when they are being helpful and not loud. Four kids often get loud when they each want a spot next to me at the stove.
What you need
6 Quart Pan with Lid
Knife
Cutting Board
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ladle
Spatula
Cheese Shredder
Blender
Lentil Soup Ingredients
1/4 Cup Oil
1 Cup Lentils
2 Carrots, peeled and either diced or shredded
1 Cup kale, fresh, chopped
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
4 Cup Broth
2 Cup Water
1 tsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cumin
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 Onion, diced
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Directions
1. Firstly, heat 1/4 cup oil in a 6-Quart pan on Medium-High. Secondly, dice onion and carrot and set aside. You know when the oil is ready because it will ripple, like waves.
2. When the oil is hot, add diced onion and shredded (or diced) carrot, then cook for 2-4 minutes and stir often.
3. Thirdly, add minced garlic, cumin, curry, and thyme. Continue cooking and stir constantly for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
4. Drain the can of diced tomatoes and then add them to the pot, cooking 1-3 more minutes, stirring often with a spatula. I love mine from Rachel Ray!
5. Rinse lentils and then pour them into the pot. Add the lentils before any liquid to avoid splashes.
6. Add water and broth, then mix well with a spatula. If you are making vegetarian, use vegetable broth.
7. Add lemon juice, and red pepper, then mix well and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Matthew was so happy to help in the kitchen. It is such a rare treat to have him offer to help, let alone be allowed to take his picture.
However, this special favorite middle son of mine has a real love of learning how to cook. He has already mastered cooking fried eggs! A goal for all of our kids is to have them, one day, leave the house and know how to cook meals, for instance, not only for themselves, but for others to enjoy as well.
8. Collect lemon juice and then add it to the pot. Additionally, cover the pan and cook thirty more minutes. Instead of a hundred gadgets, I reuse ones I have like this orange juicer I used for the lemon tonight: Brilliant!
9. Using a wet measuring cup, transfer 2 cups of soup mixture to a blender. LET SIT 2-4 MINUTES so you do not blow up the blender, COVER WITH A TOWEL and blend; trust me… Let the mixture cool for a bit so you are not cleaning soup and lentils off your ceiling. Return mixture to the pot and then stir to blend. Doing so helps the soup become creamier and less of a broth soup.
10. Rinse, chop, and then add kale to the pot and cook 5 more minutes to let the kale wilt and cook.
11. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste, then serve the lentil soup in a bowl and enjoy!
Today I made grilled cheese using Wheat and Oatmeal bread I had taken out of the oven at 2:30pm and was was still slightly warm when I cut it to make grilled cheese. We love making grilled cheese on our griddle. It gives them a real crispy texture. For my recipe for homemade bread, check out my blog below.
Cost Breakdown for this Recipe
We started dinner with 6-Quarts of From Scratch Lentil Soup as I had doubled the recipe. As a result, we have leftovers for the kids for their lunches and Tyler to have lunch at work. Total, this soup cost me under $12.00.
1/4 Cup Oil $0.50
1 Cup Lentils $ $3.50
Carrots $1.00
1 Cup kale $2.00
1 Can Diced Tomatoes $0.75
4 Cup Broth $1.75
1 tsp Curry Powder $0.10
1 tsp Salt $0.10
2 tsp Cumin $0.20
4 Garlic Cloves $0.50
1/2 Lemon Juice $0.50
1/2 tsp Thyme $0.10
1 Onion, diced $0.50
1/4 tsp Black Pepper $0.10
1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes $0.10
Cost: $11.20
That is $1.60 per serving!
Making soup has got to be the neatest way to stretch a budget. For instance, you can literally wash, peel, dice and add vegetables to a pot with stock, cook it for a few hours, and magically you have a delicious dinner!
Lentil Soup Recipe
Lentil Soup Ingredients
1/4 Cup Oil
1 Cup Lentils
2 Carrots, peeled and either diced or shredded
1 Cup kale, fresh, chopped
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
4 Cup Broth
2 Cup Water
1 tsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cumin
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 Onion, diced
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Directions for Lentil Soup
1. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 6 Quart pan on Medium-High heat, then, dice carrots and onion and set aside until the oil is hot.
2. When the oil is hot, add diced onion and shredded (or diced) carrot, then cook for 2-4 minutes and stir often.
3. Add minced garlic, cumin, curry, and thyme to the pot and continue cooking and stir constantly for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
4. Drain the can of diced tomatoes and then add them to the pot and cook for 1-3 more minutes, stirring often.
5. Rinse lentils and then pour them into the pot.
6. Add water and chicken or vegetarian broth to the pot and then stir to combine.
7. Add lemon juice, and red pepper, then mix well and bring to a boil.
8. Collect lemon juice and then add it to the pot. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover the pan, and then cook 30 minutes.
9. Using a wet measuring cup, carefully transfer 2 cups of soup to a blender. LET SIT 2-4 MINUTES so you do not blow up the blender, COVER WITH A TOWEL and blend; trust me… Let the mixture cool for a bit so you are not cleaning soup and lentils off your ceiling. Return mixture to the pot and then stir to blend.
10. Rinse, chop, and then add the kale to the pot. Cook 5 more minutes, or until the kale is tender.
11. Finally, add salt if needed, serve and enjoy!