Red Lentil Soup with “C” Spices

It’s hard to find time to make healthy dinners during the busy holiday season.  Here’s help: a simple, quick vegetarian soup that takes ten minutes of preparation time and twenty minutes to simmer. Coriander, cardamon, cloves, and cinnamon team up with more traditional soup spices like cumin, cayenne pepper, chili pepper and curry to add an exotic flavor. You probably have many of these “C” spices on hand for holiday cookies. With this soup, you’ll pull them out more than once a year!  Customize the spice combination and vary the flavors the next time you make it.  It’s high in protein and fiber, low in fat and calories, and doesn’t really need salt. Enjoy!

1 small onion, chopped (use pre-diced onions to save time)
1/4 cup chopped red pepper, optional
1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
1 cup red split lentils, rinsed well
4 cups water (or broth)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne and/or chili pepper (more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

Saute onion (and red pepper) in oil in a thick-bottomed pot until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, rinse the lentils in a sieve.  Add the rinsed lentils to the translucent onion in the pot alnog with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and add spices. Simmer for 20 minutes.  Adjust spices as desired.