Winter Orange Lentil Soup

Yes it is almost February and summer is just around the corner. Living in Tel Aviv it is literally around the corner. So we are going to be posting delicious healthy recipes to help you eat right and look great. 

Photo: Jill Schweber

There's nothing better then lentil soup made from scratch on a cold winter's night. This soup is healthy, delicious, vegetarian, and easy to make. 

Lentil Soup

oil for frying

1 onion

1 leek

1 fennel

3 carrots

half a butternut pumkin (or full if its small)

2 cups of lentils (orange lentils)

1 cup cilantro (finally chopped)

2-3 cm of fresh ginger, (chopped)

1 tsp of oriental cumin 

1tsp of paprika

chicken stock

salt&pepper

spring onion for topping

Instructions

Heat up some cooking oil in a big pot. Roughly chop onions and throw them in together with the ginger. Add the spices. Chop the leek, fennel and carrots and throw them in once the onions soften. Peel and chop the squash and put that in as well. Pour water in the pot (enough to cover vegetables). Simmer till the carrots are soft which takes approx. 20 minutes. Put in two cups of orange lentils. Season with salt, pepper and chicken stock. Simmer for another 20 minutes until lentils are soft. Throw in the cilantro and use a hand mixer to blend until smooth. Just before serving top it off with chopped spring onion. Enjoy! 

 © 2013 Jill Schweber and Channa Waje, all rights reserved

Meatball soup with Herbs

This is a recipe inspired by my grandmother's famous boiled meatballs. The dish is so simple to make, and I like it with a lot of herbs, which just makes it really fresh. 

Meatball Soup with Herbs

Meatballs
500 g minced beef
A handful of dill
Breadcrumbs
1 egg
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Soup
4-5 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 carrots, diced
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
A handful of dill, chopped
A handful of coriander, chopped
A handful of parsley, chopped
1 tbs beef stock
1/2 tbs onion stock
olive oil

1. Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs. 
2. Make small balls, medium sized.
3. Fry the onion and the garlic in a pan for a few minutes. Add the potatoes
and the carrots and keep frying for a few minutes.
4. Add approx. 1,5 l water, the beef stock, the onion stock and all the
herbs finely chopped. Bring to boil and add the meatballs. Season with salt
as needed. Let boil on low heat for about 30 minutes.
5. Serve just like that, or with some rice. Do as you wish!

Enjoy! 

Tip

• If you are a beetroot fan, I strongly suggest that you trade the potatoes for beetroot. They give the dish an amazing color and also a great deep flavor. I suggest that you make a good basmati rice and add the soup on top. Be brave, try!   

© 2012 Jill Schweber and Channa Waje, all rights reserved