I love soup.  I particularly love soup of the homemade variety.  Even more so, I love soup that is EASY.

Most soups are relatively easy by nature — throw a bunch of stuff in a pot with some broth and voila!

This soup is definitely one of those.

(Note: this is NOT a visually appetizing meal.  It resembles an orange porridge amongst a handful of other things I won’t mention in a food post…)

I’m slightly ashamed to admit that I’ve never made a lentil soup.  I love lentils, but I rarely cook with them.  Why?  Who knows.  Likely the same reason I love pets but only have two…

Lentils are low in calories and high in nutrients, qualities I greatly admire in a legume.

I wasn’t planning on soup for dinner.  In fact, I wasn’t planning on anything for dinner.  But after a workout, hunger was inevitable.  I had a fridge full of veggies and not much else.  Due to ease of preparation and flavor, I usually choose to roast (anything and everything will do).  I grabbed the butternut squash, some celery, and as I reached for an onion and a couple of red potatoes, I noticed a bag of red lentils that I’d forgotten about.

Then, as you’d see in a cartoon (sub soup pot for light bulb), an idea in the form of a pot of soup was born.

What you’ll need:

• 1 lb lentils (any color will do)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 butternut squash, cubed
• 2 medium potatoes (I had red, but any will do!), cubed
• 3 large celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt + pepper to taste
• extra water as necessary

How to do it:

In a large pot, saute onions and garlic for about 5 minutes. 

Add celery, potatoes, and squash.  Continue cooking for 5 – 10 minutes. 

Add cumin and red pepper flakes and stir well. 

Add vegetable broth and lentils.  Bring mixture to a boil and stir well.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 – 35 minutes. 

Check your pot often to be sure it’s well hydrated.  Add water as necessary to keep liquids adequate.  You’ll want it thick, but not TOO thick (this can vary depending on taste, of course). 

Salt and pepper to taste.

I topped my soup with a simple chipotle yogurt sauce and some green onions.  You could also throw on an avocado for extra heartiness.

Chipotle Yogurt:

• 1 serving of plain greek yogurt
• 1 tsp smoked chipotle powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper