Lemony Lentil Soup

This Lemony Lentil Soup is hearty and full of refreshing flavors from the addition of fresh squeezed lemons along with some dill and rosemary that make this soup absolutely delicious. Use a bone broth stock from scratch or concentrate and you will have a nutrient dense, gut nourishing soup. The addition of feta cheese adds a perfect creamy texture that really pulls this lemony lentil soup recipe together. I like to add a little extra goats feta to my own bowl when serving!

1 large onion diced
6 cloves garlic fineley dices
2 cups dried lentils soaked for 8 hours or overnight
3 medium carrots diced
2 celery sticks diced
juice of 2 lemons
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup goats feta cheese
1 tbsp oregano 
1 tbsp rosemary
3 bay leaves
2 tbsp dried dill
2 tbsp coconut oil or butter 
8 cups bone broth stock (or vegetable stock)
himalayan salt and cracked pepper to taste

Procedure:

*Prior to making this Lemony Lentil soup place the 2 cups of dried lentils in a bowl and cover with water and let them soak for 8-12 hours then rinse and strain when ready to make the soup. If you skip this step you may need to add an additional cup of water at the end.

*In a large pot or slow cooker place measure out 8 cups of water mixed with vegetable stock (or use bone broth) then add the soaked lentils and bring to a boil then simmer on low until cooked.

*In a large pan melt 2 tbsp of coconut oil or butter then add diced garlic, onion, bay leaves, salt and cracked pepper and simmer for a couple minutes before adding the carrots and celery. Add in the rosemary, dill, oregano and let everything cook until softened and lightly browned (approx 10-15 mins)

*Combine the sauted vegetables to the lentils and stock then add the juice of 2 lemons, the tbsp of grated lemon zest and 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese to the main soup pot. Season with himalayan salt and cracked pepper to taste then let everything simmer together for an additional 10 mins or until vegetables are fully soft. 

I enjoy this soup with a slice of toasted gluten free bread that is locally baked, fermented and made with quinoa and brown rice flour topped with melted butter!

While i don’t eat or recommend eating refined carbohydrates often we all enjoy those foods from time to time so I encourage people to source bread that is made the traditional way with whole grains that are fermented or sprouted which makes it much easier to digest and has a lower glycemic index than commercial white bread. 

Nutrition Tip ~ Lentils are an excellent source of molybdenum which is a trace mineral that is specifically important for detoxification of sulfites. If you find that your are sensitive to sulfites in wine you just may need some extra molybdenum that can be found in lentils or in seeking healths optimal detox.