Category: Dinner

Red Lentil Harissa Soup

3/8/2025

Hi everyone! It's still cold here in the Blue Ridge. If you follow along on over at my substack, you'll know that we are slowly getting glimpses of spring. I just saw the first of the daffodils blooming, and bits of green are popping up out of the ground. Although this is all very exciting for me, I still am wanting to take it easy with what I'm eating. So, it's soup season until there's a little more consistency in the weather.

There is also the flu and other mucky things going around in Asheville, so I want to make sure I'm keeping my agni nice and strong at the same time. Simple foods that are nourishing and tasty, but still light in nature are super supportive to keeping our immunity strong.

So, I made this simple but yummy harissa lentil soup the other day, and thought it was the perfect thing to share with all of you. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

Cheers!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp avocado oil (or any neutral-tasting oil)
1 cup red lentils
4.5 cups water + more for soaking
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 big cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 carrots finely chopped
4 sprigs thyme
1 tsp coriander seeds
3 tbsp vegetable bouillon paste
2 tbsp harissa paste
3 tsp salt (or more to taste)
4 tsp cream (optional)

Recipe:

Start off in a heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven and warm the oil.
While the oil is warming, take your lentils, and soak them in a water. Use enough water to cover all of the lentils.
Chop up all of your veggies. I recommend chopping into smaller pieces as they will be quicker to cook, but totally up to you if you like it a bit more chunky.
When the oil is warmed up, you will first add in the onion and garlic. Cook them down until they are softened. Then you can slowly add in the carrots, and again give everything a good toss.
Now back to the lentils. Pour out the water and give the lentils a good rinse. You don't want any of the foam that may have formed to go back into your soup. Once rinsed, add the lentils and 4 cups of water into your post.
At this point, you can add in your thyme, coriander seeds, bouillon and harissa paste, and finally salt to taste. Give everything a good mix, and then put the lid on the pot.
You are going to let this come to a simmer and then slowly turn the stove onto medium-low, letting the soup and lentils cook fully.
After about 15-20 minutes, give everything a good stir again. Your lentils should be cooked if not almost done. At this point, you can add in a touch of cream to make it creamy, and if you don't care for that, then just leave it be.
Serve with your favorite bread, tortilla, or anything else that makes it feel complete.

Enjoy!

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Roasted Fennel Tortellini

1/14/2025

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I am definitely in the mode of cleaning out my fridge and shopping what I already have in my pantry and in my fridge. I have become more and more cognizant of how much food goes to waste. I also have fallen victim to convenience over everything. I'm lucky enough to live in a small-ish city, where the grocery store is only 10 minutes away. What's stopping me from making a second grocery run in the middle of the week? Well, just sheer laziness.

So, this year I am leaning into using up everything in my fridge, double checking multiple times of what is in my pantry before running to the grocery store.

Today, what was on the docket? Well, I had some kale tortellini that I had bought a couple weeks ago and 1 1/2 bulbs of fennel. So, roasted fennel tortellini it was.

And let my tell you it was decadent! My husband had F I V E servings! What?! Did I mention it was super simple and quick to make? Let's dive in, shall we?

Ingredients:

For the roasted fennel:
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- Salt & Pepper
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 2.5 tsp grainy mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice*
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
- Cooked tortellini of your choice

Recipe:

Start with roasting your fennel. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and add in the sliced fennel into one layer. Toss in oil, and sprinkle the salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.
In the meantime, let's start the sauce. Take a large skillet and warm the oil.
Add in the onion and garlic. You're going to cook this until they are softened. They don't necessarily have to be translucent, but just softened.
Add in your fennel. Again, toss everything well enough so that the fennel starts to cook and softed as well.
In the center of the skillet, make some space and add in the mustard and cream. Very slowly start to stir the mustard and cream together and then very slowly begin to incorporate the onion and fennel. Once everything is mixed, add in the water.
Let the sauce start to thicken and then add in your shredded cheese. Very slowly fold everything together and turn your stove down to medium-low so that you begin to see small bubbles.
Add in your spices.
At this point, feel free to very gently fold in your tortellini. Coat everything properly so all the sauce is evenly distributed as well as the fennel.
When you're ready to serve, top with your roasted fennel (which should be done at this point!)
Time to dig in!

Bon appétit

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Pumpkin Sweet Potato Soup

11/20/2023

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Hi everyone! I am desperately trying to update this with SO many recipes that I am wanting to share with all of you. It's been such a season of a few months that I've slipped into just writing in my notebook and not translating back here. Thank you for being patient as I revamp into this space.

Anywho, one of the main tenets of eating Ayurvedically is to eat seasonally, and that my friends right now is lots of pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and gourds. Have you ever noticed that so many of the vegetables right now are deep oranges and reds? Well, it's not a coincidence. Right now, we happen to be in vata season, and naturally vata needs to bring in more heat and warmth to maintain its balance.

Oranges and reds happen to be the colors of fire and naturally pacify vata dosha. Nature is pretty amazing. All we need to do is learn to live in harmony with her, and gosh, so much will be taken care of. If only we can listen. Well, let's get to this.

This soup is crazy easy to make, simple, and packed with flavor. I hope this quick and easy one pot meal makes it to your kitchen and dinner table.

Ingredients:

1 medium pumpkin
1.5 sweet potato
1/2 red online
3 cloves garlic
10 black peppercorns
4 cloves
3 bay leaves
3 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable bouillon paste
Thyme
Black Pepper
21 Seasoning Salute
4 tbsp avocado oil
Water

Recipe:

Cut the sweet potato and pumpkin up and drizzle with your favorite oil, salt, and pepper. We're going to roast this in the oven until they are softened.
While the veggies are roasting, in a large dutch oven, warm up the oil. Add in the garlic and onion. Saute until both are softened. Add in the black peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves.
When the pumpkin and sweet potato are ready, throw them into the pot, and mix in with the garlic and onion.
Next, we're going to add enough water to barely cover the vegetables--just enough that about 1 inch water sits above. Mix in the bouillon paste. Cover the pot and let everything come to a good rolling boil.
Turn the stove to low-medium. Using either an immersion blender or a normal blender, we are going to blend everything to make it nice and smooth. Be sure to take the bay leaves out first. (Everything else can be blended nicely)
Once everything is nice and smooth, add back into the post and add in thyme, black pepper, salt, and the 21 Seasoning Salute--all to your taste.
At this point, you're basically done. You can add in more water to thin it slightly down if you would like. It's all up to you!

I hope you enjoy this super quick and easy meal that is nourishing, pacifying, and perfectly aligns with the season!

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Red Lentil Harissa Soup

Roasted Fennel Tortellini

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