I’m making this healthy lentil soup with ham & veggies for “Passover Thursday” which is the Thursday before Easter! I’ll be serving it with flatbread and sparkling grape juice!
One of our “Holy Week” or Easter traditions is to follow the Savior in Matthew through this week. On Thursday, like the Savior, we have a Passover dinner. Our Passover dinner looks pretty different from His, but I try to make it as authentic as I can while keeping it appetizing for my kids.
While we eat, I’ll read to the story of the “Passover” (Exodus 12) from the old testament and the “Last Supper” (Matthew 26) from the New Testament! This makes Easter more meaningful and exciting for the kids while teaching them the history and meaning!
First Soak Your Lentils – Don’t Skip This Step!
First thing in the morning, or the night before, soak 1 pound of lentils in triple the water with a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. The apple cider vinegar and water soak breaks down phytic acid in lentils so you can digest them without problems.
Lentils are like beans causing gas and bloating if you skip this step! After soaking all day, lentils cook faster too!
How To Make Lentil Soup!
Start by chopping one large onion, one clove of garlic, 4-5 celery stalks, and 4 medium carrots. Place them in your soup pot and cover with water… Or make it MORE NOURISHING by using homemade or powdered bone broth instead of water! Simmer your veggies till they are soft, and the broth is developed.
Optional: Chop 2 cups of ham and add to pot. If you are making this for an authentic Passover meal you may want to omit this. Jews did not include meat in their soup. However, my family prefers it this way, and still enjoys the Passover memorial.
Lentil Soup with Veggies & Ham
I’m making this healthy lentil soup with ham & veggies for “Passover Thursday” which is the Thursday before Easter!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lentils
- 4-5 stalks of celery
- 4 carrots
- 1 onion *optional
- 2 cups cooked ham
- 6 cups bone broth or water
Instructions
First thing in the morning, or the night before, soak 1 pound of lentils in triple the water with a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
Chop veggies and ham into small 1/2 pieces and put them into a pot.
Cover with water or broth and simmer till soft (about 20 minutes)
Add 4 cups broth, and lentils and cook for 20 more minutes.
Take 1/2 soup and blend till smooth then add back to the soup, and stir. Or, use an immersion blender to blend the soup to desired consistency.
Add pepper & salt to taste just before serving. *If you add salt while lentils are cooking they won’t get as tender as they should!
After veggies are soft, and broth is developed (about 20 minutes) drain lentils and add to the soup. Add 4 cups of water or broth, and seasoning (except salt). Simmer lentil soup for 20 minutes, until lentils are soft.
Take 1/2 soup and blend till smooth then add back to the soup, and stir. Or, use an immersion blender to blend the soup to desired consistency.
IMPORTANT: Add pepper & salt to taste just before serving. *If you add salt while lentils are cooking they won’t get as tender as they should!
This recipe serves 16
Nutrition
Lentil soup is super nourishing when cooked right. Remember to pre-soak lentils to remove the phytic acid so you can absorb the nutrition!
- High in FIBER… Each serving provides 12 grams of fiber!
- High in PROTEIN! Each serving provides 12-20 grams of protein too! Protein increases with the addition of ham.
- Lentil SOup is naturally LOW FAT! The only fat is what you add… This recipe calls for 0 fat unless you add the ham.
- Only 28 grams of carbohydrate per serving which is offset by 12 grams of fiber.
- Only 4 grams of naturally occurring sugar per serving!
Tips for Making Lentil Soup
- SOAK lentils in water and vinegar for 2-12 hours BEFORE cooking lentils. This makes the biggest difference! Your lentils will be softer, and more nutritious. Plus you won’t give you gas!
- Don’t add salt to cooking lentils till AFTER they are SOFT! Salt or anything acidic will prevent lentils from softening!
- Use bone broth if you have it! Bone broth instead of water greatly increases this recipes nutritional value and makes it more satisfying.
History
Lentil soup is a popular biblical food. The ancient Israelites ate lentil soup Jacob cooked his father, Isaac, whose father Abraham had died. However, Jacob ended up trading his “mess of pottage” (lentil soup) with his starving brother Esau, for his birthright. Jacob really traded up!
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