Meatless Monday with Vegetarian Lentil Soup with Croutons

Hello and welcome to another Meatless Monday. As a green call centre, we support the Meatless Monday movement in support of reducing meat consumption to improve personal and planetary health.

On the menu tonight is a hearty vegetarian lentil soup with croutons. Soup is the perfect meal for this time of the year for a multitude of reason as it’s warm, satisfying and filling. It is also the perfect make ahead meal, so if you’re caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, when you get home you have a nutritious and delicious meal ready in minutes. This tasty meal comes by way of the Martha Stewart kitchens at Everyday Food.

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 carrots, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 bag (1 pound) brown lentils, picked over
• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 4 ounces sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add carrots, lentils, broth, bay leaf, cayenne, and 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are just tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread with remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Serve soup topped with croutons.

This recipe serves four but as with any soup it is very easy to adjust. Lentils are an “earthy-tasting member of the legume family [and are] available in a range of colors and sizes. Lentils are a good source of protein, iron, and phosphorus, and keep for up to a year in an airtight container.” If you cannot get brown lentils, the green variety will work well. Red lentils, tend to break down in soups so they might not be the best choice for this dish. “This aromatic soup is brothy rather than thick. The lentils should be cooked until they’re just tender so they stay intact instead of falling apart in the soup.” If you prefer a thicker stew increase your lentils. The addition of the croutons in this vegetarian lentil soup makes this a hearty dish. You could complete this offering with a side salad or a grilled cheeses sandwich or serve on its own.

You can learn more about Meatless Monday here. Join the movement and encourage your co-workers to go Meatless on Mondays at your green call centre, factory, office, shop or salon. Thanks to Everyday Food for another great recipe. Enjoy!