Lentils by Candlelight

Tonight’s Soup Sunday choice was an oldie but a goodie — a red lentil soup I’ve made countless times since The New York Times published this simple recipe in 2008.  I now know the recipe by heart and follow it to a tee, with the exception of adding a few extra carrots and throwing in a few handfuls of spinach at the end for color and an added nutritional punch.

Soup Sundays have been a hit with the grown-ups in our house, but the kids haven’t taken to the tradition quite as earnestly.  Fully prepared for a pile of spinach on one side of the kids’ bowls and a mound of lentils on the other side, I was pleasantly surprised when the kids gobbled up the soup.  In fact, my 6-year-old held a red lentil in his hand and exclaimed, “these are the best part of this soup; and they’re the main part too, right?”  In that one statement, he restored my faith that it pays off to keep on keeping on when it comes to broadening the kids’ palates.

Beyond the fact that this one appeals kids and grown-ups alike, here are five reasons to give this soup a try on an upcoming Sunday…or any day!

1. Lentils have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut
2. Lentils have stood the test of time; they have been part of the human diet for between 9,500 and 13,000 years
3. Lentils are a great source of iron
4. Health magazine has selected lentils as one of the five healthiest foods
5. If you don’t blend it (which I don’t), this soup only takes 30 minutes to make

We served this by candlelight with chicken sausage and a few thin slices of crusty bread — fueling us all for the week ahead.  Enjoy!