Carrot and Lentil Soup

Sarah Read
With its curry hints and lentils, this is a really filling and warming soup great for windy, wintery days. Perfect with a slab of buttered bread.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Meal
Servings 4
Portions of fruit and veg 3
Calories 610 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 12 medium carrots (approx 1.7kg peeled and chopped into thick slices)
  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 0.5 tsp pepper
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp mixed herbs (things like oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, marjoram )
  • 4 cloves garlic (peeled and whole)
  • 200 g red lentils
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 can low fat coconut milk
  • 6 slices wholemeal bread
  • 1.5 tbsp vegetable spread

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C (fan).
  • Place the carrots, most the oil, the mixed herbs, garlic cloves. pepper and a pinch of salt on a deep sided baking tray and mix to coat (you may have to use two trays to stop them from being piled on top of each other). Put in the oven for 30 mins.
  • Put in the oven for 30 mins (checking they aren't burning towards the end).
  • Bring the lentils to a boil in water, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins.
  • Add the rest of the oil to a frying pan. Fry the turmeric and cumin for a few minutes.
  • Add the coconut milk to the pan to heat for a minute or two.
  • Once the carrots and lentils are soft, add them to the blender with the coconut milk mix and about 500ml hot water. Blend until smooth adding more water if required to get the desired consistency.
  • Serve with a slice and a half of bread, buttered.

Notes

Prep Tips:
The coconut milk, turmeric and cumin can just be added to the blender uncooked to save a step and some washing up, but frying the spices brings out the flavours, and your soup may be a little cold (if you like hot soup)...
Health Tips:
It may not seem very veg rich because there's only one type of 'vegetable' - carrots!  But you're getting a lot of them here, and they can count as more than one portion.  Lentils also count, so you're getting at least 3 here (and that's being conservative!)
Eco Tips:
Whilst it's tempting to grab a large bag of carrots, take your own bag and pick your own carrots from the loose area.  Let's reduce plastic production and show the supermarkets that we like loose fruit and veg!

NUTRITION: Amount and (% RDA)

Calories: 610kcal (31%)Carbohydrates: 85g (28%)Protein: 22g (44%)Fat: 21g (32%)Saturated Fat: 8g (50%)Trans Fat: 1gSodium: 536mg (23%)Potassium: 1723mg (49%)Fiber: 28g (117%)Sugar: 19g (21%)Vitamin A: 56610IU (1132%)Vitamin B1: 1mg (67%)Vitamin B2: 1mg (59%)Vitamin B3: 7mg (35%)Vitamin B5: 2mg (20%)Vitamin B6: 1mg (50%)Vitamin B12: 1µg (17%)Vitamin C: 23mg (28%)Vitamin E: 4mg (27%)Vitamin K: 57µg (54%)Calcium: 204mg (20%)Copper: 1mg (50%)Folate: 325µg (81%)Iron: 7mg (39%)Manganese: 2mg (100%)Magnesium: 143mg (36%)Phosphorus: 442mg (44%)Selenium: 22µg (31%)Zinc: 4mg (27%)
Keyword soup
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