Instant Pot Lentil Soup: Never eat the same soup twice

Recently the lovely folks at SlowFoodsUSA and Camellia teamed up with some of us Meatless Monday bloggers to create some recipes to promote plant-based foods and slow cooking. Unfortunately, my shipment got delayed and I didn’t receive my package until the weekend of my birthday. One week before the holidays. No problem I thought, I can do a post over the holidays. After all, instant pot lentil soup makes itself! What I didn’t bank on was the holiday house upheaval, and having no time to snap (decent) photo’s. Then Xmas day came and I got sick.

Christmas Day started great, I was feeling 100%, but by the evening I was in a lot of pain. So, the next morning I was on the phone to Kaiser, by 9.30am I was back home medication in hand. However, I felt like death. You know what came in real handy? The Lentil Soup I’d made a few days earlier in the instant pot! KARMA at work right there.

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

In exchange for some complimentary products we were tasked to create a recipe using Camellia products promoting homemade meals. I have to say as a lazy chef I rarely create the same thing twice. It’s actually a bit of a joke in our household. Whatever, recipe I try and follow I’ll switch out ingredients, change quantities and generally what I like to call “make it my own”. With that said here’s my usual starting point:

• 2 cup lentils
• 4 cups Vegetable broth
• 4 cups water 1/2 onion finely diced

• 3 large carrots chopped
• 2 sticks of celery chopped
• 1 large potato peeled and diced
• Seasonings of your choice (I choose a variety of: Mrs Dash, Liquid Aminos, liquid smoke, spike, garlic powder, black pepper)

Honestly, you can’t go wrong. Even if after you’ve cooked it if it doesn’t taste quite right then add seasonings until you create something you like. Really with soup the only rule is to have really great base ingredients. Family owned and operated Camellia delivers the best beans around.  Offering 19 different varieties  of beans, peas and lentils, all of their products are 100% USA produced, non-GMO, gluten free and cleaned six times. This means no soaking is necessary! If you’ve cooked with dry beans before you know what a pain in the rear that can be. Camellia products are good for the planet and your health.

Slow Foods for Not Fast Food

When we look at soup it’s easy to grab a can off the shelf but once you look at the myriad of unnecessary ingredients it really should make you stop and think. The folks at Slow Food USA believe in food that is good, clean and fair for all.

GOOD

• Believe that delicious nutrition is a right for everyday life
• Cultivate joyful connections to community and place
• Advocate for diversity in ecosystems and societies

CLEAN

• Protect natural resources for future generations
• Help people and the environment depend on each other
• Promote food that is local, seasonal, and sustainably grown

FAIR

• Build local cooperation and global collaboration while respecting all laws
• Require no prerequisite or credential for participation
• Fight for dignity of labor from field to fork

As someone trying to eat more home cooked ,whole food, and plant based foods I wholeheartedly support their cause. Yes, I eat out and use convenience foods BUT that shouldn’t be the norm. Remember when it was a treat to eat our or get convenience food? Then the next thing you know it’s a habit. Time to reclaim whole food plant based cooking.

Never Eat the same soup twice

As I’ve mentioned I’m a lazy cook (which is why I love my air fryer and instant pot), but this is great for variety. My soups rarely end up being the same each time because I can switch up seasonings, and instantly add new flavors. Or I can add toppings and extras to my soup before serving to add a different flair to each dish.

Questions:

• Do you make homemade soup?
• What’s your favorite Soup?
• Are you a fan of lentils/beans?