Spiced Lentil & Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red or brown lentils

• 1 large winter squash (approximately 2 1/2 to 3 pounds): butternut, acorn, kabocha or spaghetti

• 6 to 7 cups vegetable broth or water

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp chopped or slice ginger

• 1 tsp ground turmeric

• 1 tsp toasted ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp toasted ground coriander

• 1 tsp dried rosemary

• pinch of cayenne

• salt and pepper to taste

• toasted sesame seeds for garnish

• sourdough or your favorite artisan bread for serving

1. Wash, peel and cube squash. Set aside. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Sauté onion for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft but not brown. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute.

2. Pick over lentils for any pieces of rock or foreign object. Wash and add to onion mixture along with the cubed squash. Cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, coating with the oil. Add turmeric, cumin, coriander, rosemary and cayenne. Stir.

3. Pour 6 cups vegetable broth or water over lentils and squash. Bring to a boil and cook on low heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Lentils and squash should be soft.

4. With an immersion blender, puree lentils and squash. Taste, season with salt and pepper. If soup is too thick and you'd like to thin it out a bit, add as much of the vegetable broth remaining to thin it out.

5. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top.

6. Serve hot with slices of bread.

Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Notes&Tips:

• This Spiced Lentils & Squash Soup was just what we needed on a cold overcast winter day. It was delicious and filling and I could have had seconds if I had room!

• I used red lentils as it was all I had but I've made this dish before with brown lentils. I also find that the brown lentils usually take a bit longer to cook.

• Any of your favorite winter squash works in this dish. I have cooked this dish with butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash at different times and they all worked well.

• Spiced Lentils & Squash Soup was spiced just right for me. However, you can either decrease or increase the amount of ginger, turmeric, cumin and coriander if you do not like to taste it much in your soup. This soup will work wonders if you're fighting the flu or just having an off-day. It revitalizes you and help you get through the day or evening.

• Lentils are high in protein and fiber and low in fat, which makes them a great substitute for meat. In addition, they are packed with phosphorous, potassium, folate, and iron. For meat eaters, it is excellent if you want to take a break from meat for a day.

• It is also a very easy dish to prepare. Most time is spent in cubing the squash. One solution to cubing the squash is to cut it in 2 and microwave it for 8 to 10 minutes (depending on size), cut size down in a microwavable dish with a few tablespoons of water. Another option, cut the squash in large chunks or in two, and roast in the oven. The second option could be done the day before.