Red Lentil, Chickpea & Chilli Soup (4PP)

The blustery winds of this past week have stripped the magnolia tree at the bottom of our garden of its coppery leaves. A true sign that winter is almost upon us. It’s not all bleak though as the fallen leaves have exposed fresh new buds and the promise of spring to come.

Now that the days have turned colder, I want a more substantial soup for my packed lunches. I want a soup that will nourish my body as well as give me a comforting hug part way through a tough day at work. This delicious Red Lentil, Chickpea & Chilli Soup fits the bill perfectly. I’ve been teaming it with 1PP roast vegetables, which will be the subject of a future blog post, for a 5PP lunch.

Lentils and chickpeas form part of the legume family and provide an array of nutrients and phytochemicals that have been shown to have beneficial health effects. Phytochemicals are natural chemicals found in plants that may help prevent disease and keep your body working properly). Many studies have shown that consuming pulses helps to protect against developing cardiovascular disease, breast, colon and other cancers and diabetes (1) In addition, a study in the USA showed that consuming approximately ½ cup dry beans or peas on a given day resulted in higher intakes of fibre, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium compared with people who didn't consume any (1). Experimental studies show that pulse consumption increases satiety over 2-4 hours; in addition, studies also generally support a beneficial effect of pulses on weight loss when pulse consumption is coupled with energy restriction (2).

Although further studies are needed on the weight-loss front, it’s clear that dried beans, peas and lentils pack a nutritional punch and I will be looking at more ways of incorporating them into my diet.

Make up a batch of this soup and feel good in the knowledge that you’re feeding your body with the nutrients it needs for optimal health.

References
1. Mitchell DC, Lawrence FR, Hartman TJ, Curran JM (2009) Consumption of dry beans, peas, and lentils could improve diet quality in the US population. J Am Diet Assoc, 109(5):909-13.
2. McCrory MA, Hamaker BR, Lovejoy JC, Eichelsdoerfer PE (2010) Pulse consumption, satiety, and weight management. Adv Nutr, 1(1):17-30. 

Red Lentil, Chickpea & Chilli Soup (4PP)

Adapted from BBC Good Food
Serves 5 (each serving is approximately 1 cup) - 4 ProPoints per serving

Ingredients
1 red onion, chopped
140g red split lentils
850ml vegetable stock (I used 4 Oxo Vegetable cubes plus 850ml boiling water)
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp hot chilli powder (I used Bart’s and this is milder than some I’ve used, so adjust amount to your taste)
400g chopped tomatoes
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
15g fresh coriander, roughly chopped (save a few leaves to serve)
Black pepper, freshly ground

Method

1. In a large saucepan, put the chopped onion, red lentils, vegetable stock, ground cumin, chilli powder and chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils have softened.
2. Whizz the soup with a stick blender until smooth, add the chickpeas and return to the hob. Heat gently and season with black pepper (around 50 grinds). Remove from heat, stir in the coriander. Serve in bowls garnished with coriander.