I'm finding the best way to make a dent in my vegetable stores is soup. Last week I made Fresh From the Farm Vegetable Soup with Leeks and Kale which was awesome. Then I used up my tomatoes making a quick Homemade Garden Tomato Soup which I'm sad is gone. 🙁
Well I'm happy to say my fridge is stocked yet again with a homemade veggie filled soup but this time I went for SPICE!
I have found that the spicier the meal the more satisfying it is. And I don't mean spicy-hot I mean spicy-flavorful.
I've experimented with Moroccan spices before. They intrigue me. I think it's because I didn't grow up with anything even close to tasting Moroccan. I love the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg to savory dishes and I've learned so much about new-to-me spices like coriander and turmeric.
This soup has a lot of flavor. The summer squash cut a little larger gets soft and soaks up a lot of the flavor and I love the combo of large couscous, lentils and chickpeas. Here's what I did, be warned it uses a LOT of spices. 🙂
- 4-5 very small onions chopped (it's what I get at the farm 1 larger one would be fine)
- About 5 stalks of celery with leaves chopped
- About 5 carrots chopped
- 2 Large Summer Squash cubed (I used a zucchini and 1 yellow)
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛-1/4 tsp ground red pepper to taste
- ¾ cups lentils (96g)
- 1 can chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can chickpeas
- 5 cups of water
- ⅔ cups whole wheat pearl couscous
- About ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Here's my soup making set up. This is everything I pulled out to make the soup.
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium high. Cook the onion, celery and carrots until the onion start to become transparent and browning. Stir in the cubed zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes. Add all the spices and lentils. Stir to coat everything. Add the broth, water, and can of chickpeas (with liquid.) Bring to a boil and then simmer for an hour.
After the hour add the couscous and let cook until softened, about 20 minutes. I was SO excited when I found this at my local grocery store. You can also get it online at Amazon.
Stir in the fresh cilantro just before serving.
I measured out exactly 12 cups and a cup was very filling! Just so you know, I did add a little sprinkle of kosher salt. I used the broth and canned chickpeas and I thought that would season it enough but it needed just a bit more.
| Servings | Amt per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 1 cup | ||
| Calories | Fat | Fiber | WWPs |
| 125 | 2g | 6g | 2 |
| Sugar | Sat Fat | Carbs | Protein |
| 4g | 0g | 22g | 5g |
Mmmm this looks good. I am very intrigued by Moroccan spices as well. I have made crispy roasted Moroccan chick peas and a super yummy and hearty Moroccan spiced peanut stew! The recipe is on my blog. I hope you will check it out. I love your blog!!!
http://guatemamom.blogspot.com/2012/08/dinner-party-fun-moroccan-spiced-peanut.html
I requested that my husband make this for my bday supper yesterday. It was amazing! I didn't know what ground red pepper was so he used ancho, which gave it a nice little kick. It's printed and will be a staple for sure. This is the first Roni recipe i've tried. I've always drooled over pictures!!!
oh yea! It gets a lot of use!!
Roni, your cutting board looks just like mine!! The more scraped up the better! 🙂
Josie - I haven't tried red! I've never seen it but I will keep my eye out. I can see lentils being hit or miss.. I'm a resent convert. 😉 I don't see why the red wouldn't work but like I said.. never tried them. Let us know if you do!
This turned out great. Even husband liked it. Thanks!
Barbara - Just print. I have it set up only to print the recipe. Let me know how it works for you.
All of those spices look like they would taste delicious in soup. Thanks for sharing!
ooooo Ive had this Israeli cous cous that I got at trader joes and I didn't know what to do with it besides the instructions on how to make. Your pearl cous cous is about the same size only the Israeli has several types of cous cous in it
I love all of the spices at work, here! Sounds very hearty and nourishing.
yes how do a print this recipe. I am having trouble I always need to copy and paste section in order to get the recipe.
Can you help me.
I just made a veggie soup last night, but this looks amazing and will definately give it a try with my next CSA delivery.
This sounds really good, one problem...I can not get into lentils! I was just thinking about this yesterday, i really want to try them again but the taste of brown lentils tastes like peppery dirt to me (yes, I said peppery dirt) so I was thinking of trying red lentils...have you ever tried them? if so, what's your take on them?
Oh and pearl couscous!? I'm on a hunt now...
Oh my goodness, this sounds easy enough for even a kitchen hater like me! And my grocery sells that couscous in bulk, YAY!
I was just thinking that I needed to make soup tomorrow...instead of lentil soup, I think I may make this! It looks amazingly good, Roni!
This looks crazy good!