Veggie lentil soup

protein, healthy carbs, fiber, yes please.

this is AI - my kids ate this too fast for me to get a picture. would be great if we all had an extra left hand tho!

If you are a client or friend who lives nearby, you have probably received this from me. This is one of my most favorite postpartum recipes. After we have a baby, our body needs to heal. We need warm soups, fiber, fat, protein, Iron, Collagen, and Vitamin C &E. My kids will eat this, (especially if they help make it), and it's so incredibly comforting.

My certification in postpartum nutrition (thank you Jenny Burrell- her course on this is incredible), focuses on the foods we need to heal. Collagen, vitamin C & E, for soft tissue damage, fiber to help us poop, protein for muscle recovery, and carbs for our brains. I love sharing these tips to promote healthy eating and nurturing vs starving ourselves to bounce back. Most of us, in our extreme sleep deprivation, will want to reach for cheap fixes full of sugar or empty calories. This will make everything worse. Having healthy, easy to reach foods on hand can help. I always tell my clients to have water, a burp cloth, light reading, and loads of snacks stored at nursing/ pumping stations that their partner can help restock. Nothing knows misery like being boob trapped when you are hungry or thirsty!

So, here is what I love to give to my postpartum friends and to keep on hand. This recipe is quick to make and freezes really well. I just made this for my kiddos and they actually ate it too, so I'm calling it a win. One notable difference is the lack of spinach. Which I honestly love, but is automatically rejected by my toddler. You can make a large batch, remove and store a kid-friendly version, and toss in a couple of handfuls for a more iron-dense version of this soup if you prefer.

You'll need:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion

3 -5 cloves of garlic, measure with your personal tastes here

3 medium carrots - chopped

3-4 stalks of celery - chopped

generous sprinkle of sea salt (to taste- we grind ours so like 4-6 cranks worth)

small dash pepper

1 can of diced tomatoes (including juice)

1 cup green lentils (rinsed and sorted)

1 box/ 1 quart veggie broth

2 cups water

1 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Fun toppings - lemon juice, red-wine vinegar, parmesan cheese

Start by chopping all of your veggies. Tbh I prefer a chunkier soup, but if you are hoping the littles won't notice, feel free to dice. This will shorten the cooking process if you are shorter on time.

Heat your olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once that's shimmering, add the onion. Cook until translucent (2 -3 mins). Add in your carrots, garlic, salt, and celery and sautee until fragrant (5ish mins). Add in your tomatoes, cleaned lentils, and stir for 1 minute. Add in your veggie broth, water, thyme, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a rolling boil and simmer for about 40 Minutes. Once the soup has reduced 2-3 cups and the carrots & lentils are soft, remove from heat. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Allow to cool and serve immediately.

Now - here is the fun part. My kiddos are at an age where we are building their palates. My son is interested in becoming a chef, so we chat a lot about balancing our flavors. I have read for years that adding red wine vinegar, lemon, or parmesan will enhance a lentil soup. This will really bring the flavors together. My favorite pool read this summer was "Salt Acid Fat Heat" by Samin Nosrat. She has inspired me to put an acid in basically everything I make, and I have zero regrets. This is super helpful for gut health as well.

Now, with kids, it's harder to take these culinary risks, obviously. So I will encourage them to try the soup as a control. In a smaller serving or separate bowl, you can add a squeeze of lemon, or vinegar, or any other acid you like. We also keep a smaller bowl of parmesan out for this to add some umami, and they will pretty much eat anything with grated parmesan.

Allowing them to take control of their own personal profiles is really fun. I forget the exact study but there is an added enjoyment to foods we prepare ourselves. If they are involved making - they are more likely to eat it. If your littles aren't able to chop, rinse, sort, or stir, they can be involved in their personal palate development. Plus it's a fun way to see where their little tastes are leaning.

Again, this soup is a wonderful freezer meal. If you are in a season of life where you need extra help- make a double serving and freeze the rest. (Only add the acid at the end - so after reheating.)