Red Lentil & Carrot Soup

Serves 4

This is an earthy soup, perfect for warming up on a cool evening. There's a bit of spice for a nice hit at the back of your throat, and the crumbled feta is surprisingly delicious.  

Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp turmeric
cayenne to taste
¾ pound red lentils, picked over
7 cups water
5 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly crosswise
1 cup red pepper, finely chopped
1 handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
¼ cup scallion, greens only, chopped

¼ cup feta, crumbled
fresh coriander sprigs

Method
In a medium saucepot, heat oil on medium high. Saute onion until translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne and stir to combine. Add lentils and water and bring to a boil. Boil gently, partially covered for 15 minutes, occasionally skimming froth off the top if necessary, until lentils are just less than tender.

Stir in carrots and red pepper and simmer another 10 minutes, until carrots are tender.  

Stir in coriander, scallion greens, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve soup garnished with coriander sprigs and crumbled feta.


Cheddar Herb Muffins
Makes 24

We made these muffins for lunch one day to accompany a hearty seafood chowder. These are really easy ways to produce simple, freshly baked goodies for a crowd.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp dried sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 ½ cups buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan
2 large eggs

Method
Preheat oven to 400°F.  Brush muffin tins lightly with oil and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, sage, parsley, and cheese; blend well.

Add buttermilk, oil, and egg; stir just until moistened. Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the center is set. Remove from oven. Let completely cool on wire rack. Repeat the process with remaining batter. 

Enjoy!

 

About The Stop...

Located in Toronto's west end, The Stop works to increase access to food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community and challenges inequality.

From its origins as one of Canada's first food banks, The Stop has blossomed into a thriving community hub where neighbours participate in a broad range of programs that provide healthy food, as well as foster social connections, build food skills and promote engagement in civic issues. Among the busy initiatives are community kitchens and gardens, cooking classes, drop-in meals, peri-natal support, a food bank, outdoor bake ovens, food markets and community advocacy.

In 2009, The Stop opened The Green Barn, a sustainable food production and education centre with a 3,000-square-foot greenhouse, commercial kitchen, classroom, sheltered garden and composting facility. School visits and an after-school program offer hands-on opportunities for children to learn about the food system. Underlying all of The Stop's efforts is the view that food should be a basic human right.