Coconut Chili Lime Sweet Potato Red Lentil Soup

I'm sorry.

I was so caught up in sharing my food blogger bake sale recipe that I forgot that you were probably all on your New Year's juice cleanses or detoxes or whatever. Since the evidence for cleanses and detoxes are iffy at best I wasn't on one and I forgot. I'm so sorry.

Please let me make it up to you with this soup. It came from last year's Milk Calendar, but I removed all the milk (because B. is lactose-intolerant) and replaced it with creamy coconut. Yes, coconut milk is high in saturated fat, but it seems to raise mainly good cholesterol (HDL). I don't believe that coconut does all those other miraculous things that some other people seem to, but the good cholesterol thing seems good enough for me. And it's vegan.

    

The one downside of removing the milk from the recipe is that you also remove all the protein, so I added some red lentils to add some protein back in. Lentils are also a good source of fibre, potassium, iron and folate; all good, new year's resolution-worthy things.

Purée it all together for a warm, hearty meal - perfect for the weather we've been having.

Coconut Chili Lime Sweet Potato Red Lentil Soup

Adapted from Dairy Farmers of Canada Milk Calendar (Nov 2012)

Makes 4-6 servings

• 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
  
• ½ tsp (2 mL) smoked paprika
  
• 3 cups (750 mL) low-sodium chicken broth
  
• 5 cups (1.25 L) cubed sweet potato, about 2 large
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) red lentils, rinsed and drained
  
• 1 can (13.5 oz/400 mL) light coconut milk
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) grated lime zest, plus extra for garnish
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice
  
• Chopped green onion or cilantro, optional, for garnish

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and chili powder; sauté for about 5 min or until soft. Add broth, sweet potatoes and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes and lentils are soft, about 20 min.
   
2. Transfer to blender or food processor, in batches, or use an immersion blender in the pot, purée until very smooth, adding in some of the coconut milk if the mixture is too thick. Return soup to pot, if necessary. Stir in coconut milk, lime zest and juice. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until steaming, but do not let boil. Serve garnished with extra lime zest, chopped green onion or cilantro, if desired.

Nutrition Info (per ⅙ recipe): 334 calories, 12 g fat (7 g saturated, 0 g trans), 0 mg cholesterol, 46 g carbohydrate (8 g fibre, 7 g sugar), 12 g protein, 352 mg sodium. An excellent source of vitamin A, folate (vitamin B₉), iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese. A good source of thiamine (vitamin B₁), pantothenic acid (vitamin B₅), vitamin B₆, phosphorus and zinc.