Before I share this fabulous recipe with you, I have some VERY VERY big news!!
I have been working on a brand new ebook that I am sooo excited to share with you!
It’s called Feel-Great Desserts and it’s going to be launching soon!
Feel-Great Desserts has over 80 pages of deliciously easy, whole-food, plant-based guilt-free treats! And every single recipe is entirely sugar-free, oil-free, and gluten-free, and designed to make you feel fabulous inside and out!
I promise to send you all the details on launch-day (including a link for ordering) so please watch your inbox for more information.
Coming very soon…
And now, back to this very amazing soup, which is a bit of a nod to Pasta e Fagioli, lentil style!
This Lentil and Power Greens Soup with Butternut Squash and Orzo is extra flavorful and truly satisfying, with Berbere Spice, diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash, PLUS power greens AND whole wheat orzo, and finally a drizzle of fig balsamic vinegar. YUM!
Seriously, just delicious.
Berbere Spice Blend, as many of you know, is an Ethiopian combination of flavors, with paprika, red chile powder, chile flakes, fenugreek, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, onion, clove, and garlic, and it adds an exotic essence that elevates lentil soup from simple to fabulous.
I use a pressure cooker for most of my soups – including this one, but below you’ll find additional instructions, in case you’d like to make this either on the stove, or in a slow cooker.
Serve with toasted whole grain bread for a fabulous, comforting meal on a very cold night. : )
LENTIL AND POWER GREENS SOUP WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND ORZO
4 ribs of celery, chopped
2 cups dried green lentils, sorted and rinsed
8 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce (no-sugar, no-oil added)
1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled, diced to 1/2-inch
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, diced to 1/2-inch
2 cups diced butternut squash, peeled, diced to 1/2-inch
1 teaspoon Berbere seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt (generous)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
5 ounces fresh Power Greens, roughly chopped
fig balsamic vinegar (or other flavored balsamic of your choice)
cooked whole wheat orzo (or other cut pasta)
Pressure Cooker Instructions
Combine first 15 ingredients (onion through bay leaf) in a large Electric Pressure Cooker.
Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and set the timer for 20 minutes.
After the cooking is complete, allow the pot to rest for about 10 minutes, and then use the quick release method to release the remainder of the pressure. When valve drops, carefully remove lid.
Carefully remove the bay leaf.
Stir in greens, and allow to wilt. Finish with a generous splash or two of flavored balsamic vinegar.
Ladle hot soup into individual serving bowls, over warm cooked orzo. Serve hot.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Combine first 15 ingredients (onion through bay leaf) in a large slow cooker.
Cover and cook on high setting for 6 to 8 hours or until lentils are tender. (All slow cookers have their own personality – older ones may take longer, newer ones may take less time.)
Carefully remove the bay leaf.
Stir in greens, and allow to wilt. Finish with a generous splash or two of flavored balsamic vinegar.
Ladle hot soup into individual serving bowls, over warm cooked orzo. Serve hot.
Stovetop Instructions
Combine first 15 ingredients (onion through bay leaf) in a large soup pot.
Bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer. Cover, and cook for one hour and 45 minutes, or until lentils are tender and begin to cook down to a smooth creamy soup.
Carefully remove the bay leaf.
Stir in greens, and allow to wilt. Finish with a generous splash or two of flavored balsamic vinegar.
Ladle hot soup into individual serving bowls, over warm cooked orzo. Serve hot.
Copyright © Vicki Brett-Gach | Ann Arbor Vegan Kitchen