Very little is more satisfying than sitting down to a steaming hot bowl of great soup and salad. Most people tend to buy them premade at the store in a can. These are fine but not nearly as healthy or flavorful as making it from scratch. If you make it yourself, you can control the ingredients and know what you are getting. Learning to make easy lentil soup is one way to get a great meal without a ton of effort in cooking extra ingredients.
Store-bought soups usually are loaded with salt and can approach the edge of unhealthy. However, if you know the ingredients, you're more likely to pick one that is much healthier. Making your own, where you prepare the ingredients from scratch, is the best way to ensure a totally healthy meal. Lentils and other beans are a great source for protein for those with digestive problems and vegans or vegetarians who need a non-meat source of protein.
Soaking lentils is not necessary before cooking. This issue is one of the most asked about them. Many different types of beans do require being pre-soaked in order to be soft enough to eat because typical cooking time will not soften them and will overcook the other ingredients in the stew. If you want them to be more easily digested, you can feel free to soak them. But, it is not necessary. It won't hurt them to do so.
There are several different styles and methods for these soups. Some like them to be more like a vegetable soup with more broth and nothing blended or pureed. Others may prefer a thicker version. The health benefits stay pretty much the same, so it is just a matter of personal preference. Thicker versions are great with grilled cheese sandwiches, while the soupier versions are better with other types of bread such as cornbread or other muffins.
A lot of different ingredients can be added. Lentils are the basic form, but adding other vegetables enriches the flavor. Some will use things like chopped celery, diced carrots, onions, and include spices like oregano, a dry bay leaf, and basil for flavoring. Diced or stewed tomatoes are great to add because they thicken it up and add a great flavor to the mix. Spinach is also a great addition for the iron and other benefits that it offers.
Blending is an option. Some may want to gently use an immersion blender, but the better option is using the kind with a lid to avoid burns from splattering hot liquid. Blending gives you a nice thick version that is great for dipping grilled cheese sandwiches into. The lighter, non-blended version is great with oyster crackers or other bread to dip.
Side dishes enhance any meal. Soups go great with a nice, crispy fresh salad. Some will enjoy being able to dip Naan bread or cornbread into the dish. Crackers help thicken it and add a slight salt flavoring.
Any weather is great for making soups. They are healthy, filling, and make a great meal by themselves. Adding in a fresh salad or homemade honey cornbread will really make it special. This is something that kids and adults enjoy and making it from scratch helps to make it as healthy as possible.
Store-bought soups usually are loaded with salt and can approach the edge of unhealthy. However, if you know the ingredients, you're more likely to pick one that is much healthier. Making your own, where you prepare the ingredients from scratch, is the best way to ensure a totally healthy meal. Lentils and other beans are a great source for protein for those with digestive problems and vegans or vegetarians who need a non-meat source of protein.
Soaking lentils is not necessary before cooking. This issue is one of the most asked about them. Many different types of beans do require being pre-soaked in order to be soft enough to eat because typical cooking time will not soften them and will overcook the other ingredients in the stew. If you want them to be more easily digested, you can feel free to soak them. But, it is not necessary. It won't hurt them to do so.
There are several different styles and methods for these soups. Some like them to be more like a vegetable soup with more broth and nothing blended or pureed. Others may prefer a thicker version. The health benefits stay pretty much the same, so it is just a matter of personal preference. Thicker versions are great with grilled cheese sandwiches, while the soupier versions are better with other types of bread such as cornbread or other muffins.
A lot of different ingredients can be added. Lentils are the basic form, but adding other vegetables enriches the flavor. Some will use things like chopped celery, diced carrots, onions, and include spices like oregano, a dry bay leaf, and basil for flavoring. Diced or stewed tomatoes are great to add because they thicken it up and add a great flavor to the mix. Spinach is also a great addition for the iron and other benefits that it offers.
Blending is an option. Some may want to gently use an immersion blender, but the better option is using the kind with a lid to avoid burns from splattering hot liquid. Blending gives you a nice thick version that is great for dipping grilled cheese sandwiches into. The lighter, non-blended version is great with oyster crackers or other bread to dip.
Side dishes enhance any meal. Soups go great with a nice, crispy fresh salad. Some will enjoy being able to dip Naan bread or cornbread into the dish. Crackers help thicken it and add a slight salt flavoring.
Any weather is great for making soups. They are healthy, filling, and make a great meal by themselves. Adding in a fresh salad or homemade honey cornbread will really make it special. This is something that kids and adults enjoy and making it from scratch helps to make it as healthy as possible.
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To prepare an easy lentil soup, simply get the recipe from our website. Take a look at the yummiest selection of soups we have listed here at http://www.yummygoodness.com/lentil-soup.
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