Vegan, gluten-free lentil soup with parsley sauce.
What would you do,
if it all came back to you?
Each crest of each wave,
bright as lightning.
What would you say,
if you had to leave today?
Leave everything behind,
even though for once, you’re shining.
Standing on higher ground.
When you hear the sounds.
You realize its just the wind.
And you notice it matters who and what you let under your skin.
If put to the test,
would you step back from the line of fire?
Hold everything back.
All emotion set aside it.
Convince yourself,
someone else,
hide from the world,
your lack of confidence.
What you choose to believe in,
Takes you as you fall.
Takes you as you fall.
No one else around you.
No one to understand you.
No one to hear your calls.
Look through all your dark corners,
you’re backed up against the wall.
Step back from the line of fire.
What would you do,
if it all came back to you?
Each crest of each wave,
bright as lightning.
Do the same as you.
What you choose to believe in,
takes you as you fall.
No one else around you.
No one to understand you.
No one to hear your calls.
Look through all your dark corners,
you’re backed up against the wall.
Step back from the line of fire.
– Junip
How you feeling?
You hanging in there?
I’m feeling a little taxed myself. Physically and emotionally. A lot is swirling around in the universe right now. When this happens I crave two things. Carbs and wine and couch time. And also, all the nourishing, detoxifying, vibrant, filling plant-based foods.
Insert, The Perfect Blend by Tess Master. A plant-forward, pro-blender, cookbook for health and vitality. The pages are filled with balanced, easy to tackle recipes aimed to energize and revitalize. Tess’s Gentle Lentils called my name loud and clear. In the book they are topped with a Basil-Is-The-Bomb Sauce. And while that’s something I’ll be making plenty of May – October, I thought this lemony, detoxifying parsley sauce made a little more sense for right now.
Parsley contains all the vitamins and minerals essential for detox. Vitamin C, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, vitamin K, and folate. It helps eliminate salt build-up in the kidneys. And allows the body to purge accumulated poisons like mercury, cadmium, and lead. Besides this parsley sauce, I enjoy this parsley oil and parsley in my green smoothie. I actually find it to be a highly underused and rated herb.
Go buy Tess’s book. Eat yourself happy!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 – 4 teaspoons minced garlic {approximately 2 – 4 cloves}
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced small
- 1 cup celery, diced small
- 1 cup carrots, diced small
- 2 cups dry green lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves,
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup parsley sauce {see below}
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat and sweat the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
- Turn up the heat to medium and add in the celery and carrots, stir and cook for 5 minutes more. Then stir in the lentils, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper, and broth. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a lively simmer {not a full boil}, and cook for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are tender but not mushy.
- Serve warm, adding a large spoonful of parsley sauce, and salt and pepper to taste if desired.
- 1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh garlic {approximately 1 large clove}
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Place all of the ingredients in a blender and process until extra smooth. Depending on your blender this could take up to a minute.
Thanks to the folks at Ten Speed Press for gifting me an advance copy of Alternative Baker! Reprinted with permission from The Perfect Blend, copyright 2016 Tess Masters. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Candace says
This all looks great! Is it me or does the parsley sauce not list ingredients?
Sherrie says
Hi Candace! It’s showing over here on my end. Try refreshing. If it doesn’t pop up for you {sometimes the recipe plug-in is glitchy} email me and I’ll send you a screen shot.
Sophie MacKenzie says
Oh my gosh this looks perfect! I’ve been thinking a lot about you these last few days. My heart is heavy for you and I seriously wish I could make it all go away. There has been this glimmer of hope in me thinking that maybe it’s all a big joke- ha ha ha, and maybe we’ll all wake up and things will ‘normal’ again. Here’s to hoping. Best of luck tomorrow, and if worse comes to worse, I have a mattress you and the Mr. are more than welcome too <3 Lots of love and carbs to you !
Julia @ HappyFoods Tube says
This soup is very similar to the one my mom makes! Love it and I also love parsley. I usually buy a fresh bunch of parsley every week and use it everywhere – sometimes it’s maybe too much. Must try this parsley sauce – it looks amazingly good!
betty says
I had no idea parsley had so much good stuff in it. Coincidentally I’m currently on a nutrition unit in school and that not only makes me motivated to eat healthier but also makes me kind of a nerd when I realize what good things certain foods have. Now adding parsley to my shopping list (TO MAKE THIS!).
amanda paa says
things that are getting me through –> coming to St. Louis this weekend.
i really, really enjoyed reading that beginning essay. thank you for sharing, and also sharing a nourishing, feel good meal. xo
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
I needed this. Thank you. Good to commiserate! And to drool over this recipe. I can see why you chose it. My body is craving all the nutrients right now.
Kate Minor says
This looks like the perfect post-holiday and mid-winter bowl of comfort. I love the addition of parsley sauce. What a great idea. I typically just garnish – I should experiment more with sauces!
Elizabeth says
I’ve been seeing waaaay too much of the carbs+wine+couch combo recently. But with the realization that we’re in for a long 4 years, I’ve been trying to eat well and get out more. Along the line of eating well, those lentils look fantastic and the parley sauce will be happening in my blender very soon.
Sending love your way, Sherrie.
Tessa | Salted Plains says
I’ll take as many bowls of this as I can get. Perfect for right now in every way. Love the parsley tip – will need to incorporate it more often. xo
Annie Herzig says
Oh gosh, I have to make this, Sherrie. Loving your blog. Thanks for the inspiration. I’m also making beet berry sauce tonight to put on anything and everything. Hello from Annie #2!
JB says
Haven’t replaced my full-size blender yet. Do you think the parsley sauce will come together with a stick blender?
Sherrie says
Hi JB – it won’t be super smooth but, I think it could work in a pinch if that’s all you have.