For the past few days the weather outside has left much to be desired. It’s been gray and rainy, which means the hard work of editing takes even longer. My energy is low and even getting through my workouts takes more effort and focus than usual. It’s the end of May but it feels as if Spring has only just arrived.
So what’s a girl to do when it should be bright and sunny and warm outside, but instead it’s gray and dreary and chilly?
Make soup.
By some odd stroke of luck, I found a squash at the market and after getting caught in the rain while loading groceries, I knew what had to be done.
Squash & lentil stew.
This soup is thick and creamy and though it make taste and look like a complicated vegan bisque recipe, the truth is that this is an easy one-pot vegan soup that anyone can make at anytime.
This is an oil-free vegan soup recipe, so if you cook with oil, start with that in a soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add carrots and squash to the pot, cooking until there’s a nice char on the outside. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add broth and simmer until the squash and carrots are fork tender, it should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
It’s your choice here, if you want a one pot soup, add the rinsed lentils with the broth. I cooked the lentils separately because I wanted to keep half a cup of whole lentils to give the soup some bite.
You can use a food processor or immersion blender to smooth out the soup, adding broth or milk as needed to get a silky smooth texture.
Return the soup to the heat and add more seasoning to taste (thyme, rosemary, nutritional yeast, smoky paprika). If the soup is too thick, add more liquid. If it’s too thin, let it simmer to reduce. You can also add cornstarch if you want, but it’s unnecessary calories.
Garnish with scallions (and Sriracha if you like) and enjoy!
You can add rice or bulgur, naan or pita bread, but between the lentils and the squash you don’t really need it.
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