Lentil Soup Recipe - Instant Pot (or Stove Top)

We woke up to the most beautiful snow yesterday! It felt as if we had stepped into Narnia. I wanted to just sit and gaze out the window while drinking tea and knitting; however, I knew that I would have hungry tummies to fill, especially after the girls came in from playing in the snow.

Ellie asked for sourdough biscuits, and so I searched for a recipe online for inspiration. I found this one Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Sourdough Biscuits and adapted it because I had already started the sourdough sponge with one cup of starter and had added a cup of millet flour and one cup water. I had no idea how they would turn out, and because I was making it up as I went, I don’t have my recipe to share with you. You can try this recipe and let me know how they turn out! Of course, if you don’t need them to be dairy-free, you can substitute regular butter in place of the coconut oil and buttermilk or milk in place of the coconut milk.

And, if like me, you are usually running short on time, you can try this recipe (use GF all-purpose flour if necessary): Quick Sourdough Biscuits

I asked Emma what kind of soup she wanted, and she asked for lentil soup. I made a recipe based on a soup that I have always enjoyed from the More with Less cookbook. Again, I didn’t follow the recipe. In fact, I didn’t even open the cookbook, but made a similar soup. Here is my recipe for the soup:

Lentil Soup - Instant Pot (or prepare on stove top, adjusting cooking times as necessary)

2 cups dried green or brown lentils, rinsed well (If you have time, soak the lentils for a few hours or, even better, sprout them first.)

1 quart chicken broth (or substitute water or vegetable broth)

2 cups water, if necessary

1 piece of kombu, (optional)

1 onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. salt

Lemon juice or lemon wedges

Additional salt and pepper to taste

1) In the Instant Pot, using the saute function, heat the olive oil and add the onions, stirring and cooking until translucent, add the garlic, cumin, and turmeric, and stir another minute. Turn off the Instant Pot. (If you don’t have an Instant Pot, just saute everything in your favorite pan for making soup).

2) Add the dried lentils and the 1 quart of broth or water and 1 tsp. salt and piece of kombu (this helps to make beans more digestible). Cook at high pressure for 10-15 minutes, depending on whether you like the lentils to retain their shape. I prefer a longer cooking time so that they start to fall apart. (If I had thought about it earlier, I would have soaked and sprouted my lentils and then cooked for only 6-7 minutes). Then wait about 10 minutes before using the steam release valve. Remove kombu strip and discard or blend it with some water and return it to the soup for additional nutrients. (If preparing on the stove top, cook until the lentils are soft, stirring frequently to keep the soup from scorching and adding water as necessary.)

3) Add 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice and additional salt and pepper to taste. Or, serve with lemon wedges so that each person can add lemon juice as desired. Lemon juice helps brighten the flavors of the soup.

The meal reminded me of a meal that I enjoyed while visiting Oxford with friends almost 15 years ago. Dining outside near Oxford’s Reading Room, I savored the lentil soup, rustic bread and pot of tea.

Throwback to 2006. Tea, bread, and soup at Oxford, England.

After lunch, the girls and Ryan went back outside to play in the snow. Instead of sledding, they built a snowman and threw snowballs.

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