Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot & Red Lentil Soup with Ginger

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I made this recipe because we got sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions in our CSA box, and I was so happy I did.  One problem with some lentil soup recipes, at least in my book, is that their veggie content is fairly minimal - so while they're certainly still one of your healthier lunch options, there's still a little something lacking.  This recipe solves that problem by combining a small amount of red lentils with lots of carrots and sweet potatoes to create a comforting bowl of orange soup.  It's great because you get lots of flavor and vitamins from the vegetables, but the soup is also more hearty than a veggie-only soup because of the lentils. Definitely don't skip the squeeze of lemon at the end - the acidity really brightens up the flavor.  Serve this alongside a piece of bread for a super tasty lunch.


Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot and Red Lentil Soup with Ginger (adapted from Dinner with Julie, original recipe here)
Serves 4-6

Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 T minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup dry red lentils
1 pound sweet potato, peeled and chopped (about 2-1/2 to 3 cups)
1 bunch small carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tsp garam masala or curry powder
4 cups chicken stock
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt, to taste
Plain yogurt, to serve

1. Set a soup pot over medium low heat.  Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the lentils, sweet potatoes, carrots, garam masala, and chicken stock.    Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer about 30 minutes, until the veggies are tender.
3. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until very smooth.  Continue to simmer until the soup is as thick as you like it (I went another 20 minutes or so).  Stir in the lemon juice, and then taste and adjust for salt - you may not need to add any if your chicken stock was salty.
4. Serve with a bit of yogurt stirred into each bowl.