This Black Lentil Sesame Coconut Soup is a favorite of mine. Not only does it have heartwarming flavors, but it’s also healthy and delicious! The black lentils are wonderfully filling and chocked full of fiber. The toasted sesame and roasted red peppers are glorious compatriots and the coconut milk ties it all together.
I have had something nagging at me to get into meditation for a while and it’s something that has been hard to get myself do. Recently, I’ve been attempting the Oprah/Chopra 21 day meditation challenge. It is all about time, how we use it and how we are constantly feeling like we never have enough.
I love how Chopra says that it is good advice to stop and smell the roses but it would be even nicer if we were the ones growing the roses. It is your experience that will determine time. If you manage time poorly, every day will be a race against the clock and the missed opportunities will cause you to be unfulfilled. This happens when we look outside ourselves. Time management is about how you feel inside and your personal path towards fulfillment.
He says it’s our choice to have a bad day or a good day. We need to look inward.
It’s not about the hours of the clock but your experience in life. I love how Oprah talks about my time versus your time. When you love someone where they are at, you love them at a level where they can receive love and they will love you to their fullest potential. We all have our own time frame. It’s important to respect another’s way of dealing with time and come together to create “our time” that can be mutually agreed upon.
The trick is learning to live in the flow by living in the now. Our present moment is the only real time that exists. If you always think of the past and what you did not accomplish, you are not living in the now. The same goes for living in the future. Bottom line is, how you deal with time will determine your life experiences.
This Black Lentil Sesame Coconut Soup pairs best with a cold Sake, Dry Riesling or a Sparkling wine.
Black Lentil Sesame Coconut Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Dried Black Lentils
- 8 Cups Filtered Water
- 2 Red Bell Peppers – roasted – deseed – destemmed – diced
- 1/2 White Onion – diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic – minced
- 1/2 Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1/4 Cup Dry White Wine
- 2 Vegetable Bouillon Cubes - unsalted
- 4 Carrots – sliced
- 2 Cans Coconut Milk - full fat - gum free
- 1/4 Cup Brown Rice Vinegar
- 1/4 Cup Tamari Sauce - gluten free
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed
- 2 Tablespoons Sea Salt
- 1/4 Cup Toasted Sesame Seeds – for sprinkling on top Optional
Garnish options:
- Roasted Red Pepper
- Sesame seed
- Green onions
- Chives
Instructions
Roasted Peppers
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Roast peppers on the stovetop over medium-high heat. A gas stove works the best but it will work fine on an electric stove.
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Char the peppers on all sides turning with a pair of tongs.
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When good and charred, steam them for 10 minutes in a covered dish or a paper bag rolled shut to hold in the steam.
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Take a paper towel and rub off the char. It’s ok to leave a little of the char.
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De-stem, de-seed and remove skins of bell peppers and dice. Set aside.
Soup
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While peppers are roasting, add the onion to a 5 1/2 quart pot along with 2 tablespoons sesame oil.
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Sauté on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until transparent.
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Next, add the garlic and the carrots to the onions. Cook for about 6 more minutes or until garlic becomes golden.
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Add the wine and bouillon cubes.
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Mash the bouillon and cook for about 2 minutes or until wine is reduced to a syrupy.
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Add water and lentils then bring to a boil and turn down to medium-low for about 20 minutes.
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Or until lentils and carrots are soft.
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Add the red peppers, coconut milk, vinegar, tamari, lemon juice, and salt.
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Cook for about 10 more minutes to incorporate the flavors.
Health benefits:
Lentils have very high levels of soluble fiber and a good amount of insoluble fiber, which is a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels giving you a steady stream of energy. A half-cup provides about a third of the daily requirements. Not only is the fiber good for your heart the amount of folate and magnesium is very beneficial for cardiovascular health. Lentils provide a steady stream of glucose to your brain. Glucose is a sugar and key source of energy for cells in the body and is the only fuel your brain can use. The high fiber regulates the release of the glucose, providing a steady stream of fuel that powers your brain cells, and is a key component in keeping your brain in excellent shape. They are loaded with an impressive amount of blood-fortifying iron and when paired with a food containing vitamin C, like citrus fruits or peppers the iron is enhanced, which can also increase your energy. They are also a good source of potassium, calcium, zinc, niacin and vitamin K. They are truly a nutritional fountain of youth. Lentils originated in Southwestern Asia along the Indus River have been eaten for over 8000 years
Bell Peppers are extremely high in vitamin A, which helps to support healthy eyesight especially night vision. It is also very high in vitamin C, which is really important for the skin. They have a good source of the antioxidant mineral manganese and B-complex and vitamin E. They help reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol, helps controls diabetes and helps reduce pain. They have a good amount of fiber. Red peppers are one of the veggies highest in lycopene and have been successfully tested in the prevention of many cancers. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant, giving many fruits and vegetables their color, especially tomatoes, that are great for the prevention of cancers of the bladder, prostate, cervix and pancreas.
