Moroccan Lentil & Spinach Soup

I really like the Taste.com site - they have some amazing recipes on there, you can search by different criteria and the ingredients are usually easy to find. OH! And they promote winter recipes in our winter, unlike the other (mostly American) sites out there who live on the opposite hemisphere and leave me wanting with all their fresh salads in our coldest months. 



Really, when it's drizzling outside and cold as all hell, the last thing I want is a crisp leafy salad. No offense to all the Americans of course. ;-) So settle in under your duvet and read on.

Moroccan Lentil & Spinach Soup 
Adapted from Taste.com.

Serves 4 - 6

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbs garam masala
3 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups red split lentils (yellow split lentils can be substituted)
8 cups boiling water
1 vegetable stock cube (or use chicken stock if you like)
1 bunch spinach, ends trimmed, washed, finely shredded
salt & pepper to taste
1 - 2 tbsp lemon juice (or to taste)
plain yoghurt, to drizzle over
sprig of fresh coriander (optional)

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute until fragrant.
2. Add the lentils, water and stock cube. Cover halfway with lid and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until the spinach just wilts. Add lemon juice and season with salt & pepper to taste.
4. Spoon into serving bowls and garnish with a drizzle of plain yoghurt and a coriander sprig.

Optional - stir a spoonful of lemon atchar/lemon pickles through just before serving.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 129.7 Total Fat 3.4 g Saturated Fat 0.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g Monounsaturated Fat 2.0 g Cholesterol 0.8 mg Sodium 158.2 mg Potassium 642.0 mg Total Carbohydrate 18.8 g Dietary Fiber 6.6 g Sugars 1.2 g Protein 8.1 g

Good source of:  Vitamin A 128.0 %, Folate 62.0 %, Manganese 50.4 %, Vitamin C 41.8 %, Iron 23.8 %, Magnesium 20.5 %