Recipe: Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Warm Spices

Did you know that runners are good in bed?

Honestly, I had no idea.  Seeing as how...I have not been "in bed" with anyone since before becoming a runner.  (TMI?)

But that's what I was told yesterday by a stellar individual who was trolling the online dating website I occasionally frequent, looking for an easy lay.  Apparently we, as runners, "have stamina and stuff".  And "stamina and stuff", in case you didn't know, is useful for more than just running.

Wink wink nudge nudge.



Damn.  Is it getting hot in here?  Does anyone else feel like they need a cold shower?

Or at least a shower to wash off the grimy disgusting sleaziness that just emanated off of the screen?

For real, I screamed at the computer at this point.  (Sorry computer, it's not your fault.)

Then politely explained to this fine gentleman that, actually, my pelvis is broken at the moment so, no, I would not be meeting him for a booty call later that night.

(Who knew stress fractures could be so handy!?)



And that, my friends is the single male quicksand sludge out there that I need to wade through in order to eventually find my prince charming.

(Honestly...I'd rather run a marathon. I think it might just be easier.)

So do we now see why I'll be the single girl eating weird colored soup every day for the rest of my life?

WhatEVER.

It may be the worst shade of green known to man and ugly as hell.  But you'll forget all that the second you put it into your mouth (I'm really struggling to resist a good hearty "that's what she said" right now.  For the record.).

With the infusion of coconut milk and all of my favorite warming spices (cardamom! cinnamon! cloves!) it is a soup to be reckoned with.  And to top it all off, it's so healthy that I'm pretty sure it'll infuse you with any stamina that you were lacking.  Not necessarily to appease the weirdo random dudes who virtually molest you via OkCupid...but so that you'll have the mental strength to forge ahead and not lose all your faith in single twenty-something mankind.

I know we could all use a big dose of that.

--

This week our Gourmet Live Women Game Changer in Food is Molly Wizenberg, the writer of the blog Orangette and also of the recipe memoir, A Homemade Life.  If you've never read anything of Molly's, then you should.  I started reading her book on the plane back from San Francisco and honestly, that is probably the main reason why I barely slept on that flight. I just couldn't put it down.  

My favorite quote, and what I want to leave you with: "Food is never just food.  It's also a way of getting at something else: who we are, who we have been, and who we want to be."

For more of Molly's recipes, check out these blogs:

Val - More Than Burnt Toast

Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed

Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey

Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
April - Abby Sweets 

Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite

Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen

Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts

Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green

Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda

Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof

Nancy - Picadillo

Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Warm Spices
Serves 4, adapted from Molly Wizenberg's Orangette

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of nutmeg
• black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups French green lentils
• 1 1/4 cups light coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Ingredients

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is translucent.  Turn the heat down to medium.  Add the thyme, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and a pinch of black pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is slightly browned and very soft.
2. Add the stock and the lentils.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. Add the coconut milk to the soup.  Stir well.  Cook for about 15 minutes to blend the flavors.  Taste and adjust the salt as necessary.  Serve.

I am submitting this to Souper Sunday hosted over at Kahakai Kitchen.