Maggie's Self-Quarantine Lentil Soup

The world is a little anxiety-provoking at the moment, hmmm? A global pandemic, a weak and uncoordinated response from the US government, and unheard of rates of unemployment; any one of these would be enough to produce anxiety, so all three is a doozy.

Shana and I have both been self-quaratined since March 13. She has been sick enough that much of the time, us being at home didn't matter. She was sleeping 17 hours a day and even when awake she found the walls and ceiling entertainment enough. She's on the mend, but just at the time that we're running out of fresh veggies.

Given our general lack of fresh veggies and the need for comfort, dinner last night called for soup. On one hand, it's odd to be a creative cook during a pandemic. On the other hand, necessity is the mother of invention. The soup below is simple, using only ingredients that stay good for long periods. It's also healthy, with veggies and protein. If you have a frozen chunk of bread to thaw & warm, it's a great meal for trying times. Take care of yourselves. <3

Maggie's Self-Quarantine Lentil Soup
Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
4 cups veggie broth
2 cups water (see notes)
3/4 c. dried green/brown lentils
3/4 c. dried red lentils
ground sumac, for sprinkling (optional)

Directions
1. Saute onion and celery in bit of oil.
2. When onions and celery are close to soft, add carrots and saute another 2 minutes.
3. Add broth, water, and green/brown lentils and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low or medium-low to maintain a simmer, add red lentils, and partially cover.
5. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until green/brown lentils are soft.
6. Sprinkle optional sumac on individual bowls.

Helpful Hints

• I use Better than Bouillon as my soup bases. They are so rich and flavorful! In this recipe, I didn't want the flavor to overpower the lentils, which is why I used the broth and water. If you use a less intense veggie broth, feel free to use all 6 cups of broth.  
• Sumac the spice is different from the poison sumac that grows in the US. Instead, it's a berry from a plant that is dried and ground and is common in Middle Eastern cooking. It's got a bright taste and somewhat acidic taste, but nothing close to anything like lemon or lime. 
• Although I think they are less common in many grocery stores, you could certainly sub yellow lentils for red lentils. 
• This recipe is gluten- and soy-free if your veggie broth is free of both. 

The post "Quarantine Lentil Soup" first appeared on Maggie's LesVegan Kitchen.