Winter Gold – Lentil & Squash Soup with Turmeric, Cardamom and Nutmeg

This is one of the simplest lentil soups I’ve ever made on the fly with ingredients I already had at home. The crowning flavor in this soup comes from my grandmother and mother’s recipe of a turmeric blend (Grandma’s Gold) that I use in sweet and savory recipes; it’s fragrant with cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg and freshly ground turmeric root; offering so many health benefits in its simplicity. I topped it off with some Ufra chili flakes, Greek yogurt crema and a few drops from my jar of simple vinaigrette; a great trick to use vinaigrette as a drizzle if you don’t want the harshness of just a vinegar.

Serves 4-6

8 oz (overflowing cup) red lentils
1 ½ cup winter squash (½ of a medium butternut, acorn or honeynut squash)
½ and onion
½ tsp. grated ginger
½ tsp. grated garlic
½ tomato roughly chopped
2 cloves whole
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 ½ tsp. Grandma’s Gold spice blend
3 ½ cups water
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste

1. Wash, peel and dice the onions, cube the winter squash, and mince the garlic and ginger. Wash and rinse the lentil mix until the water runs clear.
2. Heat the olive oil in a thick bottomed pan, when the oil is hot, add the cloves and stir for about 10 seconds, when the cloves fatten up slightly, add the onions, garlic and ginger; stir fry for 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and tomato paste, and stir until the tomato paste looks darker – approx. 2-4 minutes. Add the lentils and cubed winter squash, stir-fry for about a minute and then add the water or stock, season with salt based on whether you’re using water or stock (sodium levels). Alternatively, you could also roast the squash and add it to the cooked lentils and blend to finish the soup.
3. Bring the soup to a boil, and then simmer for about 30-45 minutes until the lentils and squash are tender, add water if it dries out and if the squash is still hard. Use an immersion blender when the lentils and squash have cooked to make a smooth velvety texture. Taste and adjust for any seasonings, you could add a splash of lemon to round off the flavors.
4. Serve with a drizzle of Greek yogurt crema and chili pepper flakes.