"I love comfort food - it's the basis of everything."
--Katie Lee
I only order green curry with vegetables and tofu at my favorite Thai restaurant. There is a peaceful feeling that comes over me from the first bite to the last. I don't know if it is the flavor or the curry or the coconut milk. I am pretty sure it is the coconut milk because of the deliciousness and comfort it puts into a dish.
There is always a can of coconut milk in my pantry. Cooking with coconut milk is something I have wanted to
learn how to do. I don't think cooking with coconut milk is hard. Is it because I associate coconut milk with Thai foods that I think learning how to cook with coconut milk seems exotic and foreign
to me? I have finally reached a point where I
want to learn how to cook with this comfort food ingredient, no matter what! I really want it to be an easy ingredient for me to
use, just like knowing how to use zucchini or mushrooms in a recipe is easy for
me.
This week I worked on a new comfort food recipe that turned out really great - red
lentil and coconut milk soup. Part of the legume family, red lentils are very
fast cooking and are a comfort food in their own right. The combination of red lentils and coconut
milk is delicious! This recipe will be going into regular rotation at my house. Here is my new recipe
for you to enjoy!
GROWING HEALTHY KIDS: our recipe
collection
RED LENTIL and coconut milk SOUP
· INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion,
chopped
·
2 garlic cloves,
minced
·
½ teaspoon coriander
·
1 teaspoon
ground cumin
·
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
·
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
·
1 Tablespoon curry powder
·
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
·
4 cups
vegetable broth or water
·
1-14.5 oz.
can diced tomatoes
·
3/4 cup dried red
lentils, rinsed
·
1 teaspoon
pink Himalayan sea salt
·
1 can full
fat coconut milk
· DIRECTIONS:
1.
In a large pot, heat oil over medium
heat. Add onion. Sauté until golden,
about 4 minutes. Add garlic, sauté
another minute.
2.
Stir in spices and tomato
paste. Sauté for 2 minutes.
3.
Add broth, diced tomatoes, and
lentils. Bring to a boil, then partially cover pot and turn heat to simmer.
Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Add salt and coconut milk.
4.
Use an immersion blender to purée
soup. Serve with your favorite bread or over brown rice.
With love and kindness,
Nancy Heinrich, MPH
Founder and Wellness Architect
