Lentil Soup with Potatoes + Lemony Mustard Cream

Is it cold where you live? Because it’s freaking freezing here in the Midwest. A few weekends ago we were blessed with a little spring fling action, but now there’s a full-fledged winter vibe out there. But I’m not complaining –  in fact, I kinda love it. This past week I experienced my first St. Louis snow, heck yes! Which is honestly the first snow I’ve seen in a real long time. For the five years I lived in Philly, I can count on one hand how many times it snowed-snowed. Like bundle the eff up, warm up your car, scrape off your windows, you aren’t going anywhere fast, snow. Surprisingly, the winters back in PA {although often real cold} were pretty dry. But, I’m an upstate New York girl with roots in both Buffalo and Colorado and I appreciate a good snowstorm.

I love being socked indoors, cozying up under blankets with my lover + my little peanut, Maybe and making warm soups to feed my family all week long. Some of my favorite childhood memories are that of the same. Playing outside in the snow for hours and hours, just until my feet and hands were so numb they were about to fall off. I’d come inside, grab a blanket and go help my mom make hot, hearty meals in the kitchen. She make us lentil soup a few times a month. It was a staple in our home and I looked forward to each and every, warm, soul-satisfying bowl. This green lentil soup is a take on my mom’s classic. The soup stands as a star on its own, but it’s totally kicked up with that lemony mustard cream. The cream you guys – gah, so good. Make a double batch, roast some veg and pour it on top. Also, I’m really into mustard right now. This mustard infused veggie recipe is favorite of mine and perfect for spring.

SIDE NOTE – if you don’t own this book, buy it now for some serious cooking/flavor inspiration.

This week my new friend Angela {part-owner of the SeedGeeks} braved the snow and the ice and came over to help me plot my garden. And I need a lot of help because besides growing up in a home that had a garden each summer, my gardening experience as an adult is practically nonexistent. I might be totally insane, totally in over my head, totally naive to the amount of work this is going to be or all three of those things – but either way, I’m building a crazy-ass garden this spring/summer/fall and I can’t wait. I couldn’t help geeking out over these beautiful heirloom, non-GMO seed packets as they were splayed all over my dining table. It is crazy awesome to think that that this table of seed packets {given I provide it with ample love and attention} will blossom into a vibrant patch of goodies that will nourish me all season long. Mind, blown.

At one point Angela looks over at me and says, ‘seeds are so sacred’ and IT. IS. SO. TRUE. So – if you plan to garden this year, choose your seeds with love and intent. You can shop the SeedGeeks catalog here! They have some real gems in their catalog and I would grow them all if I could.

Lentil Soup with Potatoes {print me!}

Notes: I soaked my lentils in water for about 4 hours prior to cooking, this makes the lentils easier to digest, but is an optional step in the process. This soup takes about 45 minutes to make, start to finish. And will make a pot large enough to feed a hungry family of four or to keep stored in the refrigerator for meals all week long.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 – 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 large fennel bulb, chopped {about 1 cup, celery also works}
• juice from 1 lemon {about 2 tablespoons}
• 2 medium sized potatoes, diced small
• 2 cups green lentils
• 4 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth
• 3 cups of filtered water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• sea salt + ground pepper, to taste
• 4 large handful of baby kale, spinach or finely chopped collards
• fresh parsley, optional for garnish

In a large sauce or stock pan heat the olive oil and onions over a low flame. Cook them until translucent, about 7 – 10 minutes. Then add in the garlic and fennel, combine and cook until slightly browned, about 7 – 10 minutes more. Then add in the lemon juice and stir, scraping any delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add in the potatoes, lentils, broth, water, salt, pepper and spices. Turn the heat up to high, bring the pot to a rapid boil and then turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until you get soft lentils and your preferred lentil to broth ratio.

Lastly, toss in the baby kale and simmer for a few minutes. If you’re using a heartier green like collards or lacinato kale, it might take few minutes extra to cook, but not many.

Serve hot with a drizzle of the mustard cream {see below} and fresh parsley.

Lemony Mustard Cream

Notes: this makes about 1/4 cup of flavor packed goodness, you’ll only need a small amount for each soup serving. But, this sauce is great on roasted veggies and in salads. Feel free to double the recipe and save it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons raw cashews
• juice from 2 small lemons {about 3 tablespoons}
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon filtered water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or small blender + blend until smooth.

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This post is in partnership with SeedGeeks; all opinions are my own.