Recipe

Cauliflower, Lentil & Chicken Soup

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 1 hr
Serves: 8

Lentils (lensculinaris) grown in Canada vary between large and small and green, red and brown. They are a good starting place for the novice legume user, as they do not need to be soaked. Just a quick rinse and you can cook them up in this quick soup.

Ingredients

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) red onion(s), diced
1 carrot(s), large, sliced
1/2 cup (125 mL) celery, finely-sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 mL) cumin, ground
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) turmeric, ground
6 cups (1.5 L) low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup (125 mL) green lentils, raw
2 cups (500 mL) chicken breast(s), cooked, diced
2 cups (500 mL) canned diced tomatoes, with juice
2 cups (500 mL) cauliflower, fresh, cut into small florets
1 tbsp (15 mL) light tamari sauce
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup (125 mL) green onion(s), sliced
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon zest
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1 Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, carrot and finely sliced celery. Cook until softened, 3 to 5 min.
2 Stir in the garlic, cumin and turmeric and cook until fragrant - about 30 seconds.
3 Stir in the chicken broth and dry green lentils. Cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Puree half the soup for a smoother texture.
4 Stir in the diced cooked chicken, canned tomatoes with juice, cauliflower florets, light tamari and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer for another ten minutes or until cauliflower is tender crisp.
5 Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each with sliced green onion and lemon zest. Serve with a wedge of fresh lemon.