- Are Vegan
- Low in Weight Watcher Points
- Freeze well
With just one Weight Watcher point, this Ginger Carrot Lentil Soup hits all the buttons. (As a bonus, you get to use an immersion blender.) I found it on a diabetic web site several years ago. I'm glad I printed it, because it's no longer on the site. Sad that I can't properly credit the originator.
Red Lentils can be found at Trader Joe's. One chunk of ginger, about 3 ounces, is enough for 1/4 cup of ginger. Peeling and dicing the ginger is about the most time-consuming part of making this soup, but it's worth it (though I suppose you could use jarred ginger).
Ginger Carrot Lentil Soup
2 teaspoons oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
5 cups water
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup dried red lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/4 teaspoon salt (original called for 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 cup lime juice
Optional toppings:
Plain low-fat yogurt
fresh cilantro, chopped
lime wedges
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the water, carrots, lentils and salt, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the carrots are very tender, about 30-40 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly.
Puree using food processor or blender, in batches, until smooth.
Return the soup to the pot and set over medium heat. (If the soup is too thick, add water ¼ cup at a time to achieve desired consistency.) Cook, stirring often, until hot, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Ladle the soup into 6 bowls. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons yogurt, and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Serves 6.
