After cooking this three times, I finally stopped myself from devouring it and took a picture. Isnt it beautiful?
See in my odd little world Monday is my day off to have the house to myself and do whatever I please unmolested. This usually involves laying in bed until 10 or 11. Reading in bed with the dog. Having breakfast while watching an episode of some mindless TV show online. Then I spend the rest of the day grocery shopping and cooking. Usually while singing along to Goldfrappe/Lily Allen radio on Pandora. There are are also periodic bouts of dog love throughout the day.
And that for me is the perfect day off. Thats partly because Im a huge food nerd who loves to cook and also because if I dont cook on Monday I wont get a chance to the next two days while working double jobs. I learned early on that I can put up with most anything at work as long as I know I have something good to eat on my break, it keeps me from ripping out my hair and wanting to strangle co-workers. So on Monday I make something delicious that will re-heat well to keep me sane at work the two following days.
The fella also benefits from this situation as he doesnt have to spend his evenings alone trying to decifer whatever gibberish Ive written on the weekly menu that he should be cooking that night, that almost never ended well. I love him like crazy but one of his talents is not reading Emily-ese. And yeah thats right I plan a menu every week so that everything that gets bought gets cooked. I hear about people who go to the store throw things in the cart and hope for the best when they get home, I cant imagine it. Its insanity.
So being the super planny sort it probably wont surprise you that my next weird admission is that Im a terminal follower of recipes. Im lost without them. Or was until recently. Something clicked in my brain this week and I noticed I dont need recipes much anymore, theyre more of a way to come up with a concept and then I cook it the way I would like it better. Its worked out so far.
Then magically on Monday I closed my eyes thought “lentil sundried tomato soup” and made it happen with no recipe guidance whatsoever. It was a big moment for me and I was rewarded with literally the best soup Ive ever made. Its big and thick and tasty. Exactly what I want to eat when its cold and the lack of sun is making me a bit punchy.
Something tells me this newly concocted recipe will be in heavy rotation on the menu for the rest of the winter. And it should be on yours too because it couldnt be easier.
Sun Dried Tomato and Lentil Soup
2 tablespoons oil from jar of sundried tomatoes
2 small onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large stalks celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup lentils
5 cups vegetable stock
8 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, rinsed and chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
In a soup pot over medium high heat warm the sun dried tomato oil, when oil is warm add onions, garlic and celery. Saute the vegetables until soft but not browned, agitating them often while cooking.
Add the bay leaf, thyme, lentils and vegetable stock. Allow to come to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook about 15 or 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Depending on how thick you like your soups you may need to add more vegetable broth at this point.
Add the rinsed sundried tomatoes and red pepper flakes to the soup. Stir well and cook soup just until tomatoes are heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste if necessary. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf and enjoy.
2 tablespoons oil from jar of sundried tomatoes
2 small onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large stalks celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup lentils
5 cups vegetable stock
8 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, rinsed and chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
In a soup pot over medium high heat warm the sun dried tomato oil, when oil is warm add onions, garlic and celery. Saute the vegetables until soft but not browned, agitating them often while cooking.
Add the bay leaf, thyme, lentils and vegetable stock. Allow to come to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook about 15 or 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Depending on how thick you like your soups you may need to add more vegetable broth at this point.
Add the rinsed sundried tomatoes and red pepper flakes to the soup. Stir well and cook soup just until tomatoes are heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste if necessary. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf and enjoy.
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