We went cross country skiing with a group at a wilderness center and it was actually a lot of fun. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy cross country skiing but I did. What I didn’t love was the cold so when we went to my sister-in-law’s afterwards and she had hot soup ready, I was very thankful. My sister-in-law made this spicy lentil soup. I immediately asked for the recipe. I noticed that I wasn’t the only one that day who asked for the recipe. It’s that good!
This spicy lentil soup is so delicious and especially hits the spot on a cold winter day.
Spicy Lentil Soup Recipe:
Saute 2 chopped onions in 2 tsp. olive oil
Add 3 garlic cloves,
2 tsp. ground cumin,
1/2 tsp. paprika,
1/2 – 1 tsp. cayenne pepper.
Cook for 1 minute.
Add 7 cups chicken broth,
1 1/2 cups dry red lentils (rinse first),
2 Tbsp. tomato paste,
1 bay leaf.
Cover and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
Discard bay leaf.
Blend half the soup in the blender until smooth or use a hand blender in the pot for all the soup.
Return to saucepan and stir in 1 can evaporated milk.
Simmer 5 minutes longer until hot.
Add salt and pepper.
Garnish with fresh cilantro.
If you are looking for a lentil soup that is less spicy and has more vegetables, my healthy lentil soup recipe is delicious as well.
This is one of the regular meals in my freezer meal rotation. When I make it, I make two or four of these recipes at a time. The recipe below is for one meal, but if you want to make several to freeze, then multiply the ingredients accordingly.
I only managed to snag a few kernels for myself before my kids polished off the entire recipe! It’s a good thing it’s so easy to make.
You can also make this ahead of time and freeze it in resealable bags, being sure to take out excess air. This will ensure that you always have a delicious snack to serve if company pops by unexpectedly or just to enjoy during family movie night. 
When I first thought of this idea, I wasn’t sure if they would live up to the taste I imagined but they did not disappoint!
After taking the hash browns out of the oven, turn the oven down to 350°. Top the hash browns with shredded cheese (I used a blend of cheddar, jalapeño jack and mozzarella), diced red peppers, diced onions (I used purple onions but green or white onions would work equally well), diced tomatoes, diced green chilies, and chopped jalapeños. Be sure to seed the jalapeños if you don’t want too much heat.
Add any other toppings such as crumbled, cooked bacon or scramble fried ground sausage. Top with a bit more grated cheese.
My kids had seconds of the breakfast nachos (and one had thirds!) so I would say that this was a big hit!
A cookie recipe like this is especially handy for someone who isn’t gluten free and therefore doesn’t have gluten free flours in their kitchen. If they are attending or hosting an event where they know there will be those who can’t have gluten, they can still make these easily. Plus, they are delicious!
