Lovely Lemon Lentil Soup

Everyone seems to be in recession-mode these days, especially at the supermarket. I've also been scaling back whereever I can. But that doesn't mean I'm compromising on healthful ingredients. This morning I decided to whip up a batch of lentil soup--I just felt like my body needed a cup of comfort.

After the lentils cooked, I pureed about 1 1/2 cups of the soup to make it a bit creamier, then poured that back into the pot. The result is what you see here: a light--yet filling--meal for a hot summer day!

LEMON LENTIL SOUP

Courtesy of the Natural Gourmet Institute

Ingredients

3 medium onions,minced

3 medium garlic cloves,minced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 heaping teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 heaping teaspoons ground cumin

2 cups lentils, washed and drained

8 cups water or stock (I used chicken stock)

2 bay leaves

1 lemon zest, cut into thin strips

3/4 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped, for garnish

lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

In a medium pot, saute onions and garlic in oil until soft. Add cloves and cumin, saute another minute. Add lentils, water, bay leaves and lemon strips. Bring to a boil; cover, lower heat and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until lentils are tender. Add lemon juice and salt; cook a few minutes more. Garnish with lemon slices and chopped cilantro.