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Quick Pantry Lentil Soup
Sometimes we have to rely on our pantry stores to whip a meal up quickly. This Quick Pantry Lentil Soup is one of my go to meals (along my my Quick and Easy Dhal). I pretty much always have the ingredients in my pantry and it has saved me many times when I’ve been caught short on time and ingredients. Whether youโre looking for a quick lunch or a cozy dinner, this soup delivers a healthy, filling option perfect for any day of the week. It’s quick and easy to make and is a warming, nourishing bowl of plant based goodness.
Health benefits
This soup is packed with plant-based protein and fibre from lentils, making it an excellent choice for supporting digestion and maintaining steady energy levels. The spices like cumin, turmeric, and ginger not only enhance the flavour but also offer anti-inflammatory benefits. Plus, the addition of leafy greens like spinach boosts the nutrient content with essential vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients
This lentil soup recipe uses simple ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and a blend of aromatic spices such as cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Tinned tomatoes and lentils provide texture, while the broth ties it all together. A dollop of full-fat natural yogurt completes the dish for a creamy finish.
How to make this quick pantry lentil soup
Sautรฉ the garlic, onions, celery, carrots, and spices in olive oil, then add the tomato paste, tomatoes, lentils, and broth. Let everything simmer for 20 minutes before adding the spinach, which wilts quickly into the soup. For the Thermomix, chop and cook the ingredients in stages before simmering the soup.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Serve the soup in bowls topped with a dollop of yogurt for a creamy finish. Itโs perfect for a quick lunch or dinner and pairs nicely with crusty bread. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for later use. To reheat, simply warm on the stove over low heat until hot.
Vary this quick pantry lentil soup to suit your dietary needs
This soup is highly versatile. For a garlic-free version, simply use garlic oil or omit it altogether. You can also swap the yogurt for coconut yogurt to make it dairy-free (and vegan) or skip it entirely. For those who canโt tolerate onions, replace them with fennel or leave them out and still enjoy a delicious meal.
For more delicious, easy to make healthy soup recipes, click HERE.
Quick Pantry Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – extra virgin
- 4 clove/s garlic – minced
- 1 onion/s – diced
- 1 stick/s celery – finely chopped
- 1 carrot/s – diced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp garam masala
- ยฝ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 400 g diced tinned tomatoes
- 800 g can brown lentils – (or any lentil of your choice) rinsed, drained
- 500 ml stock or broth – your choice of chicken or vegetable
- ยฝ tsp sea salt – or to taste
- 50 g baby spinach – or kale or silverbeet
- 200 g natural, Greek or coconut yoghurt – to serve
Instructions
- In a medium size pot, add the olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, carrot and spices and saute for 4 minutes over a moderate heat.
- Now add the tomato paste, tomatoes, lentils and broth or stock. If using homemade broth add an extra ยฝ tsp of sea salt. Bring to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add in the spinach and stir for 1 minute until it wilts.
Thermomix
- Start with chopping the garlic – 3 sec, speed 6.
- Then add the onion and celery and chop, 4 seconds speed 5. You can add in the carrot here too, but I prefer to dice it.
- Add the spices and olive oil and cook 4 minutes, 100, speed 1.
- Now add the tomato paste, tomatoes, lentils and broth or stock. If using homemade broth add an extra ยฝ tsp of sea salt. Cook 20 minutes, 100, speed 2.
Serve
- Divide between four bowls, and serve with a blob of yoghurt.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Make ahead
- Re-heat in a pot over a low heat until just hot.
Notes
Onion-free
Leave out or replace with a small bulb of fennel.Garlic-free
Leave out or replace with a tablespoon garlic oil.ยDairy-free
Leave of the yoghurt or replace with coconut yoghurt. ย ยThis is one of my go to meals in the cooler months. ย Love to receive your thoughts and comments too (if you could also rate this recipe I’d be extra appreciative).ย
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Immune Miso Dressing
This immune miso dressing is a quick and easy way to add a burst of flavour and nourishment to your meals. The lemon, white miso, and olive oil make it a delicious addition to salads, veggies, or grain bowls.
This Immune Miso Dressing truely is food as medicine and one of my favourite dressings. I love making salad dressings, they can completely transform a plain salad or a bowl of steamed vegetables into something special.
Health benefits
They also contribute valuable nutrition…the monounsaturated fats and antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil are immune protective and when served with salad and vegetables, actually enhance the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins found in them. The lemon juice and zest supports a healthy immune system and assists in the digestion of vitamins and minerals, most of which are more efficiently absorbed in an acidic environment. The miso is a fabulous source of probiotics to further support digestive and immune health.
This is my family’s all time favourite dressing right now and I know you’re going to love it too. We use it over green salads, slaws, steamed or roasted vegetables and also love it over poached or scrambled eggs (it’s a bit like a hollandaise). It’s also great over fish or chicken or even lamb.
Why you should always avoid shop bought dressings
Looking at the ingredients list, even the โnaturalโ dressings are a nutritional disaster and need to be avoided. Most are a combination of highly processed vegetable oils, sugar (many of the dressings on the market list it as the third ingredient), sulphites and other damaging and allergenic additives. To read more about the dangers of vegetable oils and why we need to avoid them, click HERE.
Ingredients
The dressing is made with simple, wholesome ingredients, including white miso paste, garlic, lemon juice and zest, honey, and olive oil.
How to make this immune miso dressing
To make this dressing, combine white miso, crushed garlic, lemon juice and zest, honey, and olive oil in a jar. Shake the jar vigorously until everything is well combined. The ratio of olive oil to lemon juice should be about 3:1, but a little variation wonโt hurt. Add salt and pepper to taste (optional, remember the miso is naturally salty).
Serving suggestions and how to store
This dressing is perfect for drizzling over fresh salads, roasted vegetables, or even grilled meats. Store it in a jar in the fridge for up to four to five days, shaking well before each use to ensure itโs fully mixed.
Vary this immune miso dressing to suit your needs
For a garlic-free option, simply omit the garlic or substitute some of the olive oil with garlic-infused oil. To make it vegan, swap out the honey for maple syrup, which adds a slightly different but equally delicious sweetness.
For more quick, easy healthy salad dressing recipes, clickย HERE.
Download your FREE Immune Health Plan ebook – A practical guide filled with simple tips to help support your immune system so you and your family stay fighting fit this winter.
Immune Miso Dressing
Equipment
- In a jar, shake all ingredients together until they are well combined.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 clove/s garlic – crushed
- 1 lemon/s (small) juice and zest
- 1 tsp honey – raw or manuka
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil (approx.)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into a jar. You should aim for approx. 3 times the amount of olive oil to lemon juice. You don't have to be exact here, near enough is fine.
- Shake really well to combine.
Store
- In a jar in the fridge and keep for up to 4-5 days. Shake well each time you use it.
Notes
Garlic-free
Just leave it out or replace some of the olive oil with garlic oil if you tolerate it.ยVegan
Replace the honey with maple syrup. ย Let me know how you enjoy this delicious dressing, post a comment below.ยPumpkin Almond Hummus Salad
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Food memories are the best. As a kid I used to bake with my nan every weekend, we even occasionally ‘invented’ recipes. The ones that worked out, she carefully wrote on a note pad and sticky taped it into her recipe notebook. I still have that notebook, though the tape is browned and dried and the binding has seen better days.
Anyway, enough nostalgia…though I do hope that one of my recipes will perhaps form memories and be carried down in your family.
Health benefits
This healthy chocolate coconut slice is made with wholemeal spelt flour, rolled oats, and desiccated coconut, this slice provides fibre and slow-releasing energy. The cacao powder is rich in antioxidants, while the choice of natural sweeteners like honey or rice malt syrup makes it a healthier alternative to refined sugar treats.
Ingredients
This recipe uses spelt flour, oats, cacao powder, and coconut. Butter or coconut oil adds richness, and the bittersweet chocolate icing made with raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder), rice malt syrup or honey, milk and coconut oil brings a decadent touch that can be adjusted to suit your taste.
How to make this healthy chocolate coconut sliceย
Melt the butter or coconut oil, stir in the sweetener, and mix with the dry ingredients until combined. Press the mixture into a tin lined with baking paper and bake in a fan-forced oven as instructed below. Chill before adding the rich bittersweet chocolate icing made with cacao powder, rice malt syrup or honey, milk and coconut oil and sprinkle with coconut for a beautiful finish. This can also be made in your food processor and we’ve included the Thermomix method too if you have one.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Enjoy this slice as a mid-morning snack or a healthier dessert option. It’s also perfect for school lunchboxes being nut-free and egg-free. Store in an airtight container in the fridge to keep it fresh for up to a week or freeze it for longer storage. It can be packed or eaten from frozen.ย Refrigerating before slicing ensures clean, crumb-free cuts.
Vary this healthy chocolate coconut slice to suit
For a gluten-free option, swap spelt flour for your favourite gluten-free flour and replace oats with quinoa flakes. Make it dairy-free or vegan by using coconut oil instead of butter. Choose brown rice syrup for a low-fructose version.
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For more delicious, easy to make prep-ahead heathy snack recipes, click HERE.
Chocolate Coconut Slice
Ingredients
- 150 g butter or coconut oil
- 85 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (ยผ cup approx.)
- 30 g cacao powder - unsweetened Dutch process or raw
- 120 g wholemealย speltย flour (1 cup)
- 90 g rolled oats (1 cup)
- 100 g desiccated coconut (1 cup)
Bittersweet Chocolate Icing (see note below)
- 30 g cacao powder - unsweetened Dutch process or raw (ยผ cup)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp rice malt syrup or honey
- 1 tbsp milk (of choice)
- 10 g desiccated coconut (2 tbsp)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180ยฐC/350ยฐF (fan-forced).
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt your butter (or coconut oil). If using a Thermomix 90, 1 minute, speed 3.
- Turn off the heat and add the sweetener, mixing to combine. If using a Thermomix 30 seconds, temp 90, speed 4.
- Add all of the other ingredients and mix well until combined. If using a Thermomix reverse speed, 30 seconds.
- Press firmly into a lined tin (approx. 17 x 27cm) and bake for 10-12 minutes. Take care not to overcook this as it can dry out. If your oven runs hot, reduce the temperature to 160ยฐC.
- Once cooled, pop it into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes or more.
Bittersweet Chocolate Icing
- Make the icing by beating all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. If using a Thermomix butterfly, 1 minute, speed 3.
- Spread over the chilled slice and sprinkle over a little extra desiccated (or shredded) coconut.
- Chill for 10 more minutes in the freezer, remove from the tin and carefully slice into squares by pressing straight down with a large sharp knife.
Store
- Store in the fridge or freeze in an airtight container.
Note
- The icing above is very rich (for dark chocolate lovers only). You can leave it off, top it with melted chocolate or a chocolate butter cream. This recipe works really well as a super healthy ganache too.
- Refrigerating before slicing makes it much easier to cut without crumbling.
Notes
Gluten-free
Substitute the spelt with your favourite gluten-free flour and the oats can be replaced by quinoa flakes.Dairy-free or vegan
Replace the butter with coconut oil (this will produce a tougher/ crisper slice).Low-fructose
Use brown rice syrup as your sweetener.ย
ย
I'd love to hear how you like this slice. Post a comment below or rate this recipe.ย
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