i am a person who does lots of baking. i love the precision of it, the puzzle that comes with figuring out a new recipe and getting just the right balance of ingredients to get a perfect baked good.
but of course, a girl can't live on sugar alone. i do, of course, make plenty of savory, healthy recipes, too. and when i'm craving something warm, comforting, and still good for me, this healthy, super-easy slow cooker soup is a recipe i turn to again and again.
ingredients
(makes 6-8 servings)
1 cup french (green) lentils, rinsed
1 acorn squash, peeled, gutted, and cut into small chunks (about 3 ½ cups total)
1 dried pasilla chile
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon aleppo pepper
½ teaspoon whole cumin seed + ¼ teaspoon whole caraway seed, ground together in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
¼ teaspoon dried sage
¼ cup peeled and diced carrot
2 cloves garlic, minced
½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 teaspoon total)
¼ cup minced yellow onion
1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari)
1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Juice of ½ an orange
1 cup (8 fluid ounces) vegetable stock
3 ½ cups (28 fluid ounces) water
3 cups thinly sliced kale, rinsed and dried
how to do it:
- though it looks like there are a lot of ingredients here, this recipe is super simple - just dump absolutely everything (except the kale) into your slow cooker.
- cook on low for about 6 ½ hours, until lentils and squash are tender.
- add the kale, then cook for another 30 minutes, until wilted.
- that's it - enjoy it!
nutritious, crazy-easy, and also totally filling, this good-for-you feel can be made almost entirely while you're at work. if you want to prep the kale ahead of time so you can throw it into the slow cooker as soon as you get home, just wash and slice it in advance, then wrap it in paper towel and store it in a large plastic zipper-topped bag in the fridge.