Nothing takes the chill off a blustery day like a bowl of hearty soup, and lentils make this one a nutritional winner. They're a good source of fiber as well as calcium, iron and phosphorous.
Ingredients1 cup dried lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
1) Rinse lentils, discarding any debris or blemished lentils; drain.
2) Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. Add fennel seeds, cumin and ground red pepper; cook and stir 1 minute.
3) Add water and lentils. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in salt. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in lemon juice.
4) To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and top with yogurt; sprinkle with parsley.
Tip: For a special touch, top each serving with yellow bell pepper strips.
