Kale, Lentil and Ginger Souper Soup: Meat Free Monday!

There are a few “Super” foods which have stayed put when fad diets and hyped up new ingredients have flown by and one of those is kale. I took the following extract from http://www.whfoods.com as, well, they summed it up perfectly!

• Kale’s risk-lowering benefits for cancer have recently been extended to at least five different types of cancer. These types include cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from glucosinolates in kale play a primary role in achieving these risk-lowering benefits.
• Kale is now recognized as providing comprehensive support for the body’s detoxification system. New research has shown that the ITCs made from kale’s glucosinolates can help regulate detox at a genetic level.
• Researchers can now identify over 45 different flavonoids in kale. With kaempferol and quercetin heading the list, kale’s flavonoids combine both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in way that gives kale a leading dietary role with respect to avoidance of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.

I can’t say I know what all of that means but what I do know is that Kale is really really good for you! Whenever I’m feeling a little bit run down or starting to get a cold I make this soup and feel amazing again! Ginger is also very good for you, especially for digestion and it makes the soup taste so fresh! The soup also contains lemons (vitamin c) and lentils (general goodness).

This isn’t a soup which will be to everyones tastes as it’s not bright and colourful or silky smooth but it’s become one of my favourite soups to make.

You could blend it if you wanted however I think it goes a bit grey, I always prefer to have a ‘Broth style’ soup rather than a blended soup but it is completely up to you!

Serves 4-5 and is freezable

2 Medium sized Onions – Chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic – Thinly sliced
1 Red Chilli – de seeded and sliced
Thumb sized piece of Ginger – Thinly sliced or cubed
200g Kale – washed and roughly chopped
1 cup (200g) Lentils
1.4 litres Vegetable Stock
1 Lemon

Sautee the onion for 4-5 minutes untill softened then add the garlic and chilli and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or so.  Add the lentils and vegetable stock and simmer gently with a lid on for 20 minutes.

Add the kale, ginger and juice of 1/2 lemon and cook with the lid on for a further 10 minutes or untill the lentils are completely cooked (soft but with a little bit of bite to them).

Serve with slices of lemon.