Recipe of the Month! Middle-Eastern Lentil Soup

This dish is a great source of energy, it is easy to make and delicious. If you forgot to pack a lunch, lentil soup from many of the local middle-eastern restaurants makes a great healthy lunch replacment. It is also a great source of energy post workout.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups of red/yellow lentils
• 8 cups of chicken/vegetable stock
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Juice of half a lemon

Preparation:

1. 1. Heat oil in a pan and gently fry the chopped onions for 5 minutes.
   2. Add the chopped garlic, turmeric and cumin and continue cooking for a few minutes more.
   3. Stir in the lentils, add the stock and cook for 35 minutes. Stir several times during cooking, especially towards the end, to prevent lentils from sticking to base of pan.
   4. Toss in parsley, stir in lemon juice and leave to cook for 2-3 minutes more.
   5. No blending is necessary unless you want it really smooth.
   6. Serve with chunks of crusty bread.