Today’s delicious vegan soup recipe came about as a result of feedback from some of my readers. Dozens of people have written to me regarding Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s work, which you may be familiar with through his book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, his son Rip’s book, The Engine 2 Diet, or the documentary film Forks Over Knives. Dr. Esselstyn advocates a totally plant-based, vegan diet, with no oil whatsoever. The claim is that with this diet, the damage to arteries due to heart disease can be undone. It sounds amazing and the evidence is compelling in many ways – but keep in mind that there are skeptics, like this one: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/bill-clintons-diet/

The readers who’ve contacted me ask why in the world I continue to use oil in my recipes when you can reverse heart disease through an oil-free, vegan diet. When I hear someone say they’d rather eat bacon even if it means they’ll live a shorter life, I’m infuriated. But here I am, saying I’m not sure I want to live olive oil-free, even if I kick the bucket sooner than I otherwise would (hopefully it will just be the difference between age 97 and 98!)

Besides the fact that I love olive oil, one of the big hurdles is travel. I can’t imagine going to Italy, Spain or Greece and having to avoid oil – since eating in Italy is about my favorite thing in the world. Even in cities where vegan food is plentiful, like San Francisco or Portland, enjoying restaurants is difficult, if not impossible. If I do ever decide to adopt this diet, I will most certainly ditch it when traveling.

I feel good about the fact that I eat tons of leafy greens, beans and whole grains, I avoid red meat and processed foods of all kinds, and I consume very little dairy. Just maintaining this diet is challenging enough – having to be “plant perfect” would probably send me over the edge. I’m about 90% of the way there … and that’s ok with me.

Having said all that, some dishes can be made oil-free with no sacrifice in flavor – so I figure why not cut out a little where you can. Which brings me to today’s soup. I think of this as my late winter detox soup: it’s full of nothing but vegetables and legumes. It’s delicious, and doesn’t contain a drop of oil!

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Lentil, Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

1 medium onion, diced
1 large or 2 small carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 1/2 cups brown lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
15-oz can petite-diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (I used a white-fleshed variety)
handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme (or dried)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 cups chopped curly kale (stems removed)

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat (do not use a nonstick pan!). Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes, until vegetables soften and start to brown. Add the rest of the ingredients except kale. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 35-40 minutes, until sweet potatoes and lentils are tender. If the soup is too thick, add a little more broth or water. Season with salt to taste (if you used a salted broth, it should not need any more.) Add kale and cook another 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Serves 4

When I’m looking for an easy but flavorful dinner idea, I often think of dal. Served with a whole grain and some greens, it makes a delicious weeknight meal.

This time I wanted to include a green vegetable right in the dal for even more nutrition, so I adapted a recipe from Madhur Jaffrey that combines red lentils and cabbage. I’ve given the dish more complex spicing, with the addition of mustard seeds, asafetida and fenugreek, but it’s still a mild-ish, kid-friendly dal. If you don’t have the asetfetida and fenugreek don’t fret, it will still be fine – but those spices are worth seeking out, as they provide a nice authentic Indian flavor.

I served this dal with quinoa and a simple arugula salad with a lime and cilantro vinaigrette. Not exactly an Indian spread, but it all went together really well.

Of course, red lentils are an excellent source of protein – without the fat of meat – and they’re rich in fiber, folate, Vitamin A and other nutrients. The protein and fiber of lentils makes you feel fuller longer, so in addition to being heart-healthy, they are also a great choice if you’re watching your weight. All of which makes me wonder, why do Americans seem to ignore lentils, while they’re ubiquitous in many other cultures? Get on the lentil train, people!

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Red Lentil Dal With Cabbage
Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey, Indian Cooking

11/2 cups red split lentils (masoor dal), picked over, washed and drained
5 cups water
3 tablespoons high-oleic safflower oil
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 small dried red chili peppers
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
½ small head of green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced or shredded (4-5 cups)
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin (preferably freshly ground)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon coriander or garam masala
Pinch asafetida (see note above)
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (see note above)
1 cup finely chopped or crushed tomatoes (I used Pomi chopped tomatoes)
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly squeezed lime juice, optional

Put the lentils and water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are very soft.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add ginger, garlic, mustard seeds and red chili, and cook for 1 minute. Add onion and cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes until slightly browned. Stir in cumin, turmeric, coriander or garam masala, asafetida, fenugreek and salt and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the cabbage mixture to the cooked lentils. Simmer 5 minutes. Taste, and if you want to add a bit more zip without adding more salt, squeeze in a little lime juice. Let the dal sit and thicken for 10 minutes or more, and reheat as necessary before serving.

Serves 4

I was trying to come up with a one-pot Indian meal to make to go along with my usual Sunday night TV extravaganza (Mad Men! The Killing! The Good Wife! Girls!). Something like comfort food, Indian-style. I found my starting point with Fat Free Vegan’s Cauliflower Dal with Panch Poran.

Panch phoran is a blend of five spices including cumin and fennel seeds. You can find it at any Indian store or on Amazon – or make your own.

I wanted to pump up the recipe with even more protein and vegetables – chickpeas, spinach, potatoes and peas did the trick. You can leave out one or two of the extra vegetables if you’d like, but I think the chickpeas are essential. If it seems strange to include both lentils and chickpeas, don’t fret – the lentils dissolve and become part of the sauce. This stew is delicious served with brown rice and topped with a dollop of yogurt (or soy yogurt if you’re vegan.)

Because I was looking for comfort food, I kept this curry on the mild side. Of course, it would also be great spiced up with more cayenne pepper. But maybe that’s for a Saturday night instead of Sunday

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Red Lentil and Vegetable Curry

1 1/2 cups masoor dal or red lentils
4 cups water (or use half vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon organic canola oil or high-oleic safflower oil
1 rounded tablespoon panch phoran
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
16 ounces chopped tomatoes (recommend BPA-free Pomi brand)
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 medium red potato, diced
1/2 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt (or a bit more, to taste)
1½ cups cooked chickpeas (if using canned, I recommend BPA-free Eden brand)
5-ounce container baby spinach
1 cup frozen peas

Rinse the lentils and place them in a pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the lentils are very tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the panch phoran and cook for a two minutes or until a seed pops. Add the onions, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, until onions are softened. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper, and cook for about a minute.

Add the tomatoes, cauliflower, potato (if using), water and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the lentils, chickpeas, spinach and peas. Gently stir in the spinach until it wilts. Simmer 5 minutes. Adjust salt to taste.

Serves 6

I like to think of this as the Mediterranean diet in a bowl! (Well, it doesn’t include fish but otherwise it’s right on.) Lentils are a heart health superfood, because not only does their fiber help prevent heart disease, they also contain folate and magnesium which have significant cardiovascular benefits.

A lot of people who think they don’t like lentils have only had regular brown ones. They may be surprised to find that French green lentils have a less mealy texture and a more delicate, peppery flavor. So if you are a lentil skeptic, it’s time to give these delicious legumes another shot. This French lentil salad is a great place to start. With red peppers, olives and almonds, it’s a little sweet, a little salty and a little crunchy.

I would usually add garlic and onions or shallots to a salad like this. But I skipped it this time and was really happy with the result, as it let the other flavors shine. You don’t really need anything competing with roasted red peppers and olives!

Feel free to tweak this recipe – it’s a hard thing to screw up. You can use lemon juice instead of vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes instead of roasted red peppers, or fresh basil instead of dill. But do use the almonds no matter what, as the crunchiness and toasty flavor make this one irresistible salad.

My husband Tim likes this better as a warm dish rather than a cold one. So that’s another variation for you – just eat it right away.

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Lentil Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Olives and Almonds

1¼ cups French green lentils
½ cup chopped roasted red peppers
½ cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup chopped raw almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste (I like flaky Maldon salt here, rubbed between your hands)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Rinse the lentils thoroughly. Put them in a saucepan and cover with cold water by a few inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the lentils are cooked but still nicely chewy (you don’t want mushy lentils.)

Drain the lentils and place in a serving bowl along with the red peppers, olives, parsley, dill and almonds. Gently stir in the red wine vinegar and let sit for a few minutes. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve warm or refrigerate for several hours and bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves 4

Lentil Salad from Marcus Samuelsson (interesting, with figs and pumpkin seeds)

Black Quinoa and Red Lentil Salad with Parsley from Healthy Green Kitchen

Colorful Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Herbs from The Kitchn

Lebanese Lentil Salad with Garlic, Cumin, Mint and Parsley from Kalyn’s Kitchen

Warm Lentil Salad with Caramelized Onions and Brussels Sprouts from The Taste Space

I love root vegetable soups, but sometimes I feel like every soup with butternut squash or sweet potatoes tastes the same, with the sweetness of the vegetables being the dominant flavor. This time I wanted to make a more memorable soup, so I combined sweet potatoes with tart apples, leeks and lentils. I have to say, the result was crazy good.

The combination of sweet potatoes and apples is a natural, and using tart apples helps to ensure that the soup isn’t cloyingly sweet. Lentils add a a subtle yet mysterious heartiness. (None of my dinner guests could guess that there were lentils in the soup!) And of course, this is a super nutritious dish, with the vitamins from the vegetables, protein from the lentils, and fiber from all of them.

Do let me know if you try this. It’s easy to make and a guaranteed winner.

This is my contribution to Souper Sundays, hosted by Kahakai Kitchen

Sweet Potato, Apple and Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large leeks, white and light green parts chopped
2 tart apples, peeled cored and chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ cup brown lentils
4 cups vegetable stock (recommend Imagine’s No-Chicken Broth)
3 cups water
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Nonfat plain yogurt or soy yogurt for topping, optional

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the leeks, ginger and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the apples, sweet potatoes and spices and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the lentils, vegetable stock and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, partially covered. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Puree in a blender (or use an immersion blender). Reheat, if necessary, and serve.

Serves 6

If you Google “Thankgiving vegetarian main dish,” you find a lot of recipes like squash stuffed with rice,  mushroom turnovers and pumpkin risotto. All delicious, but I tend to prefer dishes that include some protein so the vegetarians at the table don’t feel like they’re getting just another side dish. The vegetarian recipes below feature beans, tempeh or quinoa, so they all fit the bill.

As for the first two recipes, you might think lentil loaf sounds like a hippy-dippy dish from the ‘70s … and you’re right. But cook it in individual ramekins, as shown in the photo, and you suddenly have fancy lentil timbales. Pour on my gravy and your vegetarians will be happy as clams (or as kale, I should say.) The other vegetarian options here are delicious stews and casseroles with seasonal ingredients.

Having said all that, I do eat turkey on Thanksgiving – so I’m also including a great recipe here for turkey. Unlike most, the turkey isn’t slathered with butter, but rather a bit of heart-healthy oil and fresh herbs. Then it’s stuffed with shallots and apples and roasted. Crazy good.

Lentil Quinoa Loaf

Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf

Pumpkin, White Bean and Kale Ragout

Tempeh and Wild Mushroom Fricassee

Baked Pumpkin with Root Vegetable Stew (with chickpeas)

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie (I’d substitute olive oil for the butter here)

Apple Shallot Roasted Turkey