Easy Lentil Soup For A Unique Nutritional Meal

By Deborah Myers


High in all the B vitamins, and many minerals such as iron and more, lentils make a most nutritional part of a person's diet. Many consider it almost perfect, due to the nutritional it provides. In addition, it is very low-cost for those on a tight budget. Nutritionists believe it can hardly be beat. It is not just for an easy lentil soup, either. Lentils can be used in many ways.

With careful ingredient selection, one can feed a family of six to eight for under ten dollars. And, it is a meal that the whole family can enjoy. Just be sure to choose ingredients that are agreeable to every family member. This should be easy as the range of ingredients that can go with lentils make picking favorite ingredients possible.

There are a number of soups that can be made with lentils, as well. It can be spicy, bland, creamy and even cool and creamy. You can leave chunks of vegetables if desired, or make a clear soup. With all these varieties, it is easy to find something to please everyone.

Soup is not the only thing to make with lentils. There are any number of other dishes as well. Being full of fiber, protein, and other important nutrients, you should want to use them in dishes. They can substitute for meats when combined with other ingredients. They are an exceptionally economical protein source for a tight budget.

A good way to make lentils appealing to the whole family is in lentil bowls. Just combine them with whatever vegetables you wish, toss in a hefty serving, and add whatever dressing you prefer. You can vary the dressing to please every family member. Depending on the dressing, you can give the bowl an ethnic taste as well. Add an egg, goat cheese and potatoes to make it a breakfast bowl. Omit the egg and cheese if you want to make it vegan.

If you like Mexican foods, you can do that with lentils. Take some flour tortillas, add a serving of lentils, some roasted cauliflower, and other ingredients that you normally put on a taco. Add a creamy chipotle or avocado sauce for creaminess, and other toppings. You can make the dressings with Greek yogurt for greater health as well.

Lentils make a very beautiful salad as well. Add cooked lentils and fried Halloumi to a bowl of greens, such as spinach or arugula. This briny cheese made of goat and sheep milk is a wonderful, firm white cheese. Top with zucchini, sliced very thinly, and roasted heirloom tomatoes, sprinkle with a few micro-greens for a wonderfully healthy salad.

An excellent, hearty dish is a vegan shepherds pie. Spicy lentils, stir-fried mushrooms, and vegetables of your choice, either root vegetables or others, gives it a hearty feel. Top it with mashed sweet potatoes and a bread crumb topping for extra taste. It can be spiced and flavored to your taste. You can get creative and make many dishes. Experiment with choices of your own. If you don't like it, you haven't lost much because lentils are so inexpensive.




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