Slow Cooker Turnip, Kale and Lentil Soup
Posted By Savita
Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend! I had a long and lazy break this weekend.... In-fact, today, is day-off for Vishal, so it hardly felt like a regular weekday even... Since morning, I was checking some blog activity, on my phone, and was cursing myself for not even opening the computer.....
Yesterday, following the lazy-weekend mode..... I decided to dust my slow-cooker and put it to work for me.... and made this delicious, one-pot, lentil's soup.
dusted? seriously? well... you know what? when it comes to choose between slow cooker and pressure cooker, I end-up leaning towards pressure cooker often! Especially, when I don't have things planned beforehand, my pressure cooker rescues me in last 15 minutes. However, if I have planned in advance, nothing can beat the comfort of slow cooker..... like it made my lazy day, yesterday! dinner was ready without me standing in kitchen... at all! (another secret reason is, after I broke my last slow cooker, I just not bought a new one for long time...)
There are two special ingredients in this lentil soup, Turnip and Kale! You all know my love for kale. I love turnip too! but Vishal don't ..... so I often add it to curries, stews, and what not! :) about me? I will eat a bowl of raw or roasted turnips with raw tomatoes and radish, and just a sprinkle of salt and pepper, for lunch, any day! That slight sweet and sharp notes of turnip with salt, makes it so mouthwatering!! given a choice between turnip and potato, I would rather pick a turnip, but no one else would, in my home... so I add it to soups/stews for added nutrition and low-calories. If you don't like turnip, you can use carrots or baby potatoes, or any root vegetable of your choice.
Now, let's talk diet.
This soup is one bowl of nutrition! Other than being packed with curry flavor, this lentil soup is low in sugar, low in fat, is vegan, is gluten free, has good serving of lentil protein, calcium, folates, and potassium. How good does that sound?
Did you know? Turnip, as root vegetable, in place of equal amount of potato, has very low saturated fats. So it is good for you!
I hope you all had a great weekend!
Switch on your slow cooker, and enjoy a bowl of this slow cooked low-calorie, vegan, and gluten free lentil soup packed with nutrition of kale and turnip!!!
-Savita
A crusty bread is "The best" companion for a this soup!
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Large Green Lentils (or use brown lentils, wash lentils before use)
- 1 Cup Kale (chopped, 4-5 leaves, stem discarded)
- 1/2 tsp Curry Powder
- 1/4 Cup Shallot Onions (small chopped)
- 1/2 tbsp Canola Oil
- 1/2 tbsp Garlic (1-2 cloves, small chopped)
- 1-2 tbsp Lime ( or lemon juice, adjust as per taste and acidity)
- Salt and Black Pepper (as per taste)
- 3 Cup Water
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1-2 Turnip (medium size, cut 1-2 inch size)
Directions
-
1. Heat oil in a small saute pan, then add onion and saute until brown on edges. Add garlic and curry powder and cook for 30 seconds. -
2. Transfer chopped kale, onions-garlic mix, tomato paste, water, lentils(washed), turnip, with 1/2 teaspoon salt into the slow cooker pot. -
3. Place the lid of slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour and 45 minutes or on low for 5 hours, make sure lentils are fully cooked. Additional Notes:
For thicker soup, puree 1/2 cup lentil soup in food processor, then return back to soup and mix well. -
4. Add lime juice. Alos, taste and adjust salt and black pepper. Serve hot with bread of your choice!
Savita's Recipe Notes:
To cook same soup in pressure cooker: Follow step 1, then transfer everything in pressure cooker pot instead of slow cooker. Place the lid. Bring to full pressure on high heat, then lower the heat, and cook for 8 minutes, or if your pressure cooker has whistle indicator, then cook for 6-7 whistles on low-medium heat.
Calories Info: Total Calories: 254.
127 per serving of 2 cups of soup.
63 calories per serving of 1 cup with a side (additional cals).
© Chef De Home. Post content including video and photos are copyright protected.