The Soup That Changed a Nation

It's another rainy cold day in Montana today so I'm thinking about soup. Lentils are one of the most nutritious of the legumes and definitely one of the places to begin if you are wanting to change your eating habits from our SAD American fare (devised by Money Changers) that is killing us, to a diet that will give you “life and that more abundantly” as Jesus promised.



What are Lentils?



In the Bible:

One of the most important foods in the Israelite diet was the lowly lentil. Esau sold his inheritance for the famous "mess of pottage," a dish of cooked lentils and some bread!


Lentils are complex carbohydrates, a nutritional category known to have substantial health benefits because they regulate the body's metabolic system. Complex carbohydrates help your body to be balanced, to prevent diabetes, and stave off feelings of hunger longer than most other foods. Lentils are rich in vegetable protein and fiber, nutritional weapons in the fight against colorectal cancer, high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure.


Moreover, lentils help fight obesity by making you feel full longer, thus keeping you from overeating and snacking between meals. The ancient Romans also prized lentils for their health benefits. They used lentil dishes to cure diarrhea, for example.



Lentils are Legumes, related to beans and peanuts, and to some, comparable to dried split peas in appearance, although they are not as sweet. Botanists believe they originated in the Near East and were likely one of the first domesticated crops there. This is important given their nutritious nature. Like beans they have a high protein content, about 26%. They are also high in iron, and vitamin C.



People grow lentils throughout much of the world, and you’re most likely to find them in dried form. When they’re harvested, they’re removed from pods, making them essentially seeds of the lentil plant. You’ll find them in many varieties and in a plethora of colors. Many may be familiar with slightly tan colored or green versions, but you can also find them in various shades of red, orange, golden and even black.

There’s not significant difference between the varieties in terms of taste, though some lentils are somewhat nutritionally superior to other forms because they tend to have a higher dietary fiber content.

Green and Black Beluga Lentils have the most fiber though all lentils are a more than adequate source of fiber.
Lentils are a superior food! A Power food! In addition to being composed of about 26% protein, a single serving of lentils, about half a cup (about 113 grams) uncooked, has 60% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iron, 67% of the RDA for vitamin B1 and a whopping 31 grams of dietary fiber!


(I'm going to write about fiber tomorrow so stay tuned. You'll be surprised what fiber will do for your body. It's not just to keep you from being constipated; which by the way, is a major characteristic of the SAD diet).






To make the World’s Best Lentil Soup Recipe you will need:
Ingredients

• 2 fresh tomatoes
• 200g (1 cup) sprouted lentils
• 2 onions
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1.25 litres (5 cups) vegetable stock
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• fresh or dried basil
• seasoning
• olive oil
  
• ½ teaspoon Coriander
  
• ½ teaspoon Cumin
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste. (I like Kosher or Celtic Sea salt)
  

To Make Lentil Soup

1. Place the fresh tomatoes in a pan of very hot water for 1 minute, fish them out with a slotted spoon and peel away the skin. Set them aside for use later on.
2. Peel and roughly chop the onion and rinse the lentils in a colander.
3. Cook the onion in a little olive oil in a large saucepan, until golden.
4. Add the lentils, tomatoes, stock, basil, Garlic and seasonings and stir well.
5. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 30 minutes.
6. Blend the soup, adjust the seasoning and if necessary, thin it down with a little more stock or tomato juice. I like Organic Strained Tomatoes, “Passata di Pomodoro” from Bionaturae, This is the stuff in every knowledgeable Italians kitchen. Shhhh that's a secret.
   

I like to add a little chicken to the pot sometimes. Steam or boil one or two organic chicken breasts chop em up and put em in the pot for the last 30 minutes of simmering.

Try it, you'll like it, God will like it, and your body will love you for it.