Tangy Lentil and Chickpea Soup

Tangy Lentil and Chickpea Soup

2 tsp. oilve oil

3/4 c. chopped celery

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

1 large yellow potato, peeled and diced

1 tsp. mild curry powder

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 (28 oz) can diced plum tomatoes, with juice

1 c. dried and rinsed lentils (preferably red)

2 (12 oz) cans chickpeas, well rinsed and drained

1 tsp. salt

juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar

1/2c. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Place olive oil in large pot over medium heat; saute celery, onions, and potatoes, along with curry powder, turmeric, and cinnamon, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add canned tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add 8 cups of water and the lentils, chickpeas and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, for 45 mins to 1 hr (chec that there is enough liquid; add 1 c. extra of water if necessary).

Just before serving, add lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and cilantro.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Catherine S. Katz, PhD, coauthor of Dr. David Katz's Flaor-Full Diet (Rodale).

Cheesy Spinach Dip

Cheesy Spinach Dip

1 c. spinach, blanched and refreshed or frozen and thawed

1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 - 2 c. milk

1/3 c. sour cream

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, diced or minced

3 Tbl. butter or margarine

handful of shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. paprika

1 Tbl. salt

1/2 Tbl. pepper

2 tsp. garlic powder

Melt 2 Tbl. butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion and garlic to the butter and cook for 2-3 mins, until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, drain spinach of juice by squeezing out in your hands over a sink, by small portions. Place the squeezed spinach on a cutting board. Cut the spinach until it is in fine pieces.

Add the spinach to the onion mixture and cook for about a min. Then, add the flour to the mixture and 1 1/2c. milk. Stir well, until flour is dissolved. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick. Add just until the mixture is the consistency of a thick potato soup. Then, add the spices, stirring well. Add more salt, pepper or garlic powder to taste.

Add the sour cream to the mixture and stir until it is no longer discernible from the other ingredients. Add the handful of cheese or more if desired.

*Note: I was actually attempting to make a spinach soup which turned out way too thick for soup. So, I turned it into a dip by adding a little cheese. It's very tasty with tortilla chips, but I think would be even better on some type of bread such as pita bread. Also, the measurements are estimates because I didn't measure anything but the flour when I was actually making the dip. But I'm pretty good at estimating what I've put into something. Just go by what looks/tastes right; especially on the spices front.