Yesterday morning, I was looking through one of my favorite cookbooks, Twelve Months of Monastery Soups. I wanted to try to make something quick, simple, and, of course, tasty. I also wanted to prepare something I hadn’t made before. Brother Victor’s Swiss Chard and Lentil Soup met all my criteria, and the end result was one of the best soups I’ve made.
Generally, I don’t use swiss chard much, mainly because it’s not always available at the grocery store, but I have gotten some at my local farmer’s market. Determined to make this recipe, I went on the hunt for this main ingredient, and found it at the first store I went to. Perfect.
The leaves of swiss chard taste a lot like spinach, and they are loaded with nutrients. Swiss Chard is packed with vitamins A, K, and C, and also rich in minerals, dietary fiber, and protein. If you follow my blog, you know lentils have become one of the staples in my diet. They too are loaded with good things. This soup is a match made in heaven 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy it soon!
Swiss Chard and Lentil Soup
(serves four)
4 tb olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup dry green lentils
6 cups water
1 small bunch Swiss chard leaves (about 8 leaves. Just use leaves, not ribs), finely chopped
2 vegetable bullion cubes
3 tb basalmic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Put oil into soup pot and lightly saute the garlic, onion and carrot until they are lightly browned.
Add the lentils, water, chard and bullion. Bring to a boil, then reduce temp to medium. Cover pot and cook for about 30 minutes.
Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir well and simmer the soup for an additional ten minutes.
You might want to serve with a few drops of good olive oil on top. Adding a nice whole grain baguette and a salad would make a nice, healthy and simple meal.
