Root vegetable soup with spiced lentils
Bonus points for this root vegetable soup to help pep-up your perimenopause mood on dark winter days. This warming soup has a little extra heat with the additional spices, it’s wholesome, hearty and full of nutritional goodness.
Sweet potatoes and carrots are great sources of vitamin A, an antioxidant powerhouse, that is linked to anti-ageing benefits. The magnesium in the sweet potatoes is the go-to mineral for de-stressing. It promotes relaxation, calmness and a good mood, as well as artery, blood, bone, muscle and nerve health.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into about 1cm pieces
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celeriac, peeled and chopped
1 green chilli, roughly chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
75g dried green lentils
1.3l vegetable stock
400 ml milk
100g Greek yogurt
toasted pumpkin seeds
Method
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions and fry on a low heat for 5 mins until softened. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Tip in the remaining veg, turn up the heat up to medium and cook for a further 5 mins, adding the chilli and cumin for the final 2 mins.
Add the lentils and stock to the pan. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 mins until veg are tender and lentils are soft.
Blitz until smoother with the milk and a little extra water or stock, if necessary. Season, then reheat until hot.
Serve with a dollop of yogurt and toasted pumpkin seeds.