Name: French Lentil Soup
Prep time: 16 min
Cook time: 39 min
Total time: 56 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 0.5 cup raw cashews (or 0.25 cup plus 2 tbsp raw sunflower seeds); 0.5 cup water; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional, use broth for oil free); 1 null large yellow or sweet onion (diced, or 2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced); 4 cloves large cloves garlic (minced); 1.5 tsp fine sea salt (to taste, plus a couple pinches); 2 null medium carrots (diced); 2 stalks celery stalks (diced); 2 tsp ground cumin; 1.5 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 can canned tomatoes (diced, with juices); 0.75 cup green lentils (uncooked French green lentils, picked over and rinsed); 4 cups vegetable broth (low sodium); 1.5 cups water (remaining after cashew cream); 3 cups Swiss chard or kale leaves (stemmed and chopped); null null freshly ground pepper (to taste); 1.5 tsp white wine vinegar (to taste)

Instructions

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1

Put the raw cashews (0.5 cup) in a bowl and cover with a couple of inches of [water]. Soak for 1 to 2 hours or overnight. (For a quick-soak method, cover with boiling water and soak for 30 to 60 minutes.) Drain and rinse.
2

Transfer the [raw cashews] to a high-speed blender along with water (0.5 cup). Blend on high until super smooth and creamy in texture. Set the cashew cream aside.
3

In a large Dutch oven, heat the extra-virgin olive oil (2 tbsp) (or use broth for oil free) over medium heat. Stir in the yellow or sweet onion (1 large), cloves garlic (4 large), and a couple pinches of [fine sea salt], and sauté until the yellow or sweet onion (1 large) is softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
4

Stir in the carrots (2 medium) and celery (2 stalks), and cook for another few minutes or so. Stir in the ground cumin (2 tsp), dried thyme (1.5 tsp), and ground turmeric (1 tsp) until combined.
5

Add the diced tomatoes, with juices (1 can), uncooked french green lentils (0.75 cup), veggie broth (4 cups), and remaining water (1.5 cups). Increase the heat to high and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, until the [uncooked french green lentils] are tender.
6

Stir in the cashew cream and stemmed and chopped swiss chard or kale leaves (3 cups). Add [fine sea salt], [freshly ground black pepper], and white wine vinegar (1.5 tsp) to taste. (The [white wine vinegar]’s role is to add a little bit of brightness to the soup; add a bit at a time and keep tasting, as it can quickly overwhelm.)
7

Cook for a couple of minutes over low-medium heat, until the stemmed and chopped swiss chard or kale leaves (3 cups) is wilted, and then serve.
8

This stew will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or you can freeze it for 1 to 2 months (always let it cool completely before storing). The stew will thicken after sitting in the fridge; you can thin it out with a bit of broth when you reheat it, if desired, or simply serve it thick with some crusty bread.