Lentil Soup with Moroccan Flavors

I'm clearly on a soup kick as my Kidneys need support and today I really felt like making a hearty main dish soup and that usually means using pulses or beans, so I used lentils since Martin likes them so much. He also loves Moroccan flavors so that's how this soup came to be. I usually make lentil soup that has Italian flavors and that's already been posted. So, what constitutes Moroccan flavors?  For me, it is the combination of ground Coriander, Cumin and a hint of Cinnamon. They are warming spices and mixed with lentils, lots of different vegetables and a big squeeze of lemon, it's delicious! This soup is easy to prepare and cooks in one hour.  Martin loved it so this recipe is a keeper.

Lentil Soup with Moroccan Flavors

2 cups of dried Lentils

2 cups diced onion (1 medium)

2 cups diced carrots (about 3)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon ground Coriander

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

1 14.5 oz can petite diced Tomatoes

8 - 10 cups Broth or more if needed (Chicken or Vegetable) - I ended up using 12 cups

1 - 2 teaspoons Salt

Fresh ground Pepper

4 cups washed Spinach leaves (grab by the handful)

Juice of 1 large Lemon (about 1/4 cup)

In a large soup pot, heat Olive Oil and add the Onions, Carrots and Garlic.  Cook until onion softens.  Then add in the spices and cook until they darken slight.  Then add in the Tomatoes and 8 - 10 cups of broth and lentils -  cook for 50 minutes.  Taste and add salt and pepper.  Add additional broth or water if needed to thin the soup down so check every 15 minutes. Then add in the Spinach and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Add lemon juice and serve.

Five Element Analysis

Soup by its very nature is a Water food, so this definitely has the Water Element present. But, Lentils are an Earth food and the carrots add even more Earth.  The Onions, Garlic and Spices contribute the Metal Element and the Tomatoes bring in the Fire Element.  The Spinach, Lemon and Chicken Broth add plenty of the Wood Element too.  You might have guessed that this was a balanced soup because it contained so many colors and you'd be right!