* Sweet Potato and Chana Dahl Soup {Meatless Mondays}

I know... you've all been waiting with bated breath for yet another chunky soup recipe. Haven't you.

I'm going to take your deathly silence as assent and plod on with the post.

This Sweet Potato and Chana Dahl Soup Recipe is a copycat of a Baxter's Soup by a similar name - except mine is a damn sight cheaper and has less calories... which wasn't the ultimate point but you can't have too much *happy* when it comes to food.

The point was... actually I don't know what the point was. I forget.

Anyway.... I've ended up with an exceptionally scrumptious and healthy soup that'll serve as a dinner if you're not craving steak and chips (fries), and works perfectly as a filling and healthy meal if you're doing the 5:2 diet... which I am. Sometimes successfully... other times... notsomuch. It seems to depend on how much cake there is in the house at any one time. 

If there isn't cake, it's really not a good idea to make cake, especially on a day when you are meant to be fasting because all sorts of things can (and do) happen... like finding yourself licking the butter cream off of the whisks or suddenly discovering your tongue in the bottom of the mixing bowl. Neither are good situations to suddenly come to your senses in. 

It's also very difficult to work out the exact amount of calories in 20 licks of coffee butter cream and 5 tongues of coffee cake batter.

Though I promise I did try.

Not.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Sweet Potato and Chana Dahl Soup Recipe

Serves  4 - 5

Total Calories = 1171 
4 servings = 293 calories per serving OR
5 servings = 235 calories per serving

Prep time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 50 minutes
Total time - 1 hour

You will need
A large saucepan with lid

Ingredients
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion - diced
1 medium carrot - peeled and diced
1 celery stalk - diced
5oz/150g sweet potato - peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic - crushed
1 "thumb tip" size piece ginger - peeled and grated
1 red sweet, pointed pepper - deseeded and diced (red bell pepper would work here)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
Large pinch dried chilli flakes
3.5oz/100g chana dahl lentils
14oz/400g can chopped tomatoes
1pint 15fl oz/1 litre vegetable stock
1 tbsp tomato puree/paste
14oz/400g can good quality chickpeas - drained
salt and pepper

Method

• Heat the oil in the saucepan over a gentle heat.
• Throw in the onion, carrot, celery and sweet potato, give it a stir and pop the lid on.
• Cook very gently for about 10 minutes, remembering to give the occasional stir to prevent sticking.
• Stir in the garlic, ginger and red pepper and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chill flakes. Stir them in.
• Now add the chana dahl lentils, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and tomato puree. Stir well, pop the lid on and bring to a boil before turning down to a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas and cook for a further 10 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

EAT

ONE YEAR AGO: Cheese and Ham Loaf