a soft soup for crisp edged weather
Cooler weather is settling in here, bringing a pleasantly crisp edge to mornings and nights, enough to pull a cozy sweater on, enough to enjoy steaming pots of tea again. I mentioned in the farmer’s market post that we have been steadily slipping back into a good routine, which has meant busier days. I find myself reaching for the dutch oven and slow cooker often during the week to support us with healthy, nourishing food through these fuller days. I imagine lots of you are in the same boat, whether it’s with work, school, this that or the other. We all need a few good quick or hands-off recipes up our sleeve, and what’s better than coming home to dinner ready and bubbling away, scenting the house with notes of the goodness that lies within. This lemony dal I’m sharing today is my fail-safe recipe when I have nothing much in the fridge and not much time or energy to make dinner. It’s healthy, comforting, and absolutely delicious and comes together very quickly. Plus, it makes quite a large pot, thus you probably will have leftovers- a gift to yourself for later in the week or lunch the next day. Yesterday I has a nasty case of mastitis come on very quickly, and I was so happy I had made a pot of this the day before.
Besides soups, other things I’ve been implementing to support nourishing eating include:
baking sweet potatoes: I pop as many of these as we need in the oven as soon as I am in the kitchen in the morning and let them bake leisurely before we leave (no need to time, just bake until tender and soft and some juices are bubbling out, I bake at 400F/200C). I simply turn the oven off when I leave, to let them have a little extra time in the heat if needed. Then, later, I either eat whole, or split them in half lengthwise and sear them, cut side down in a skillet to caramelize the edges and reheat. Add butter or maple if you like for an extra delicious side. Also great is to stuff them with leftovers- this is our favorite way to finish up a pot of chili.
washing greens on the weekend: I do this with hearty greens like kale or for softer salad greens I know we’ll eat in the next 3 days. It makes me much more likely to incorporate salads and greens in meals when they are ready to use. Also, I have been loving separating celery bunches, washing them, then storing with washed carrots in a damp cloth bag in the crisper drawer for easy access to clean, snackable veg.
cutting up veg ahead of time (such as winter squash, broccoli, cauliflower): Again, saves some time during actual dinner prep if you can take a little time the day/night before or morning of to cut up veg. I do this and keep in mason jars or pyrex bowls with sealing lids for up to 5 days in the fridge. You can cut winter squash into cubes for roasting or soups, trim and halve Brussels sprouts, cut broccoli or cauliflower into florets, deseed a pomegranate, etc.
lemony dal
A big handful of greens like spinach, kale or chard stirred through in the last 5 minutes of cooking is perfect, too. Sometimes I do small cubed winter squash instead of the carrots. Buttered sourdough toast or basmati rice on the side are favorite accompaniments. I toast whole coriander and cumin in a hot, dry skillet till fragrant and then grind them coarsely in a mortar and pestle. The flavor is so much stronger/better than pre-ground. Pictured, it’s garnished with a drizzle of chile garlic oil.
3 tbsp olive oil
a large yellow onion, chopped finely
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium carrots, cut into rounds
1/4 cup crushed tomatoes
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
8 cups broth
1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped, tender stems included (slice these finely)
zest + juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt + pepper, to taste
Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, carrots, and a pinch of salt. Sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until jammy, another 4-5 minutes. Add cumin and coriander, lentils, salt, and broth and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till lentils are very tender and soup is thickened, 15-20 minutes. Let sit off heat 10 minutes, then store through zest, juice, and cilantro. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve with a quick green salad, if desired.
miso corn and potato chowder
I’ve been making this recipe from Heidi Swanson’s blog every autumn for years now- it’s so tasty, comforting and filled with nourishing ingredients. Plus, very easy to make and throw into the slow cooker to have ready for dinner later. The split peas melt into the broth, making a cozy, velvety texture. You can find the recipe HERE.