Fall Fare: Soup's On
A little warming bowl of lentils, sweet potato, and collard greens for those chilly nights
Of the many hats I’ve worn since leaving my Regularly Scheduled Federal Job in April, the one that sometimes fits most awkwardly atop my head is Country Dive Bar Cook. It was kind of an accident: during that first week of self-directed work, an acquaintance at a party asked what I’d be doing to fill my time. “I don’t know”, I replied, “maybe I’ll pick up a couple shifts at your bar!” In the moment, it felt like a fun, casual assignment. Of course - I neglected to remember that the hours and environment that feel fine at 22 can feel a little less enjoyable at 44. Do I love to throw down in the kitchen? Heck yeah. Do I enjoy handing Busch Lite across a dimly-lit counter and swapping conspiracy theories? Well…no, not particularly - in my heart, I’m a back-of-house girl. Ok then, how does my middle-aged self feel about arriving home at 10 pm smelling like fryer grease? Well…let’s just say I have to be in a certain kind of mood, and it’s not one that strikes me often.
I do occasionally get up to a little bar-kitchen mischief, throwing a vegetable-filled special on the menu to mix things up, adding a little relief for the palate from jalapeño poppers and Old Bay wings. Last week, I was in a soup mood, so I assembled an easy mix of sweet potatoes, lentils, and collard greens. My husband came down to check out my work. “How’s the soup?” I asked him. “Familiar,” he replied, as someone intimately familiar with my abiding love of garlic and smoked paprika. And honestly - that’s exactly what I want in a soup. Comfort, familiarity…and maybe, because reminding people about colon health is one of my favorite forms of evangelism, a little dietary fiber.
This soup takes about an hour and a half all in, but most of that is simmer time. Serve it with some cornbread and get nice and cozy.
Lentil, Sweet Potato, and Collard Green Soup (Serves 6)
2 chopped onions
2 chopped celery stalks
2 cloves minced garlic
2 T olive oil
2 T tomato paste
6 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock - sub bone broth for more protein
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup dry lentils (any kind you like)
1 bunch collard greens, washed and coarsely chopped
1 t smoked paprika
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t black pepper
Salt to taste
Saute the onions and celery in the olive oil until translucent; add garlic and cook a few minutes more. Add the stock or bone broth, peeled and cubed sweet potatoes and lentils. After a half hour, add the collard greens. Simmer until lentils and sweet potatoes are soft, about an hour total. Stir vigorously - the sweet potatoes will break down a little into the broth. Add seasonings and salt, adjusting to taste. Serve with your favorite bread or over rice.
Nutrition Information per serving (with vegetable broth): 249 calories, 5.4 g fat, 11.6 g protein, 40.8 g carbs, 7.9 g fiber
Below: audio version of this post + recipe PDF
