Recipe: Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, cubed
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked
• 1 ½ teaspoons each coriander and cumin
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon each smoked paprika, ground cinnamon, and turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, and bell pepper and saute until beginning to soften – about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, and saute one more minute.
3. Add lentils, spices and stir until fragrant.
4. Add broth and bring to a boil and cook until lentils are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
5. Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to mash some of the lentils to thicken the soup – leaving lots of texture.
6. Stir in spinach and stir until wilted before adding lemon juice.
7. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes