Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Red and Brown Lentils

Nothing beats a warm, comforting bowl of Instant Pot lentil soup, and this one’s extra special because it brings together both red and brown lentils in the same pot—double the lentils, double the flavor! The red lentils cook down into a creamy base, while the brown lentils stay firmer for a nice bite—so every spoonful is packed with goodness. 

 Lentils Provide Valuable Plant-Based Protein

Healthy, protein-rich, and super easy to make in the Instant Pot or stove top, this soup is perfect for busy weeknights or just warming up on a chilly weekend. 

Don’t have an Instant Pot? No worries—this recipe works just as well on the stovetop too.

Nutrient-packed, fiber-rich, low in fat, and most importantly high in protien, this plant-based lentil soup is satisfying and delicious.  

I love this easy lentil soup because the red and brown lentils meld together, creating a comforting, layered flavor. In addition, I like to toss in a variety of vegetables, as well as my little secret timesaver—a simple jar of salsa. With its mix of tomatoes, garlic, peppers, onions, and just a hint of spice, salsa works perfectly together with the earthy lentils. Pick the heat level that suits your taste—mild, medium, or hot. I usually stick with mild, but if you enjoy a bit of spice, go ahead and turn up the heat!

Tastes great, can be kept in the refrigerator up to 5 days, and is a wonderful starter for any meal. A simple fusion of flavors that meet gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and parve standards. A soup everyone can enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of red lentils ( washed and cleaned) 
• 3/4 cup of brown lentils (washed and cleaned) 
• 2 med-large white potatoes, peeled and chopped 
• 1 cup of sliced or chopped carrots
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped bite size  
• 1 16 ounce jar of organic chunky salsa 
• 1 16 ounce jar of water (use the empty salsa jar) 
• 1 32 ounce container of vegetable broth (about 4 and 1/2 cups)
• ( my favorite vegetable broth is Tabatcnicks)
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder 
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste  

Directions: 

Place all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot liner. Secure the lid, set to pressure cook for 16 minutes. When done, allow to sit for 5 minutes then release pressure manually according to manufacturing directions. When all steam is released, carefully open the lid. 

The Differences Between Red and Brown Lentils 

•  Red lentils are sweeter and milder in flavor, and they cook much faster, usually breaking down into a soft, mushy texture, which makes them great for thickening soups and stews. 
• Brown lentils, on the other hand, have an earthier, slightly peppery taste and hold their shape better during cooking, offering a firmer, more hearty texture. Because of this, brown lentils are perfect for dishes where you want distinct lentils to stand out, while red lentils are ideal for smooth, comforting blends. 
• Combining both red and brown lentils creates a balanced soup with a mix of flavors and textures, making it both satisfying and hearty.

My Notes: 

**If your vegetables are large, add a little more water to the soup pot. 

It's been cooler in South Florida lately with morning temps around 49 degrees ( it goes up to the sunny low 70's during the day) . I heard it will be back to 80 in a few days. 

I really don't need an excuse to make and eat soup, but the cooler temperatures coaxed me a little.

For an incredible selection of easy, healthy, homemade soup recipes, read a sample of my soups cookbook on Amazon to see if you might like to buy a copy for yourself or for a gift.  Link: plant-based soups cookbook 

Click on link to go to Amazon to read a sample of my book :  plant-based soups cookbook (affiliate link to Amazon)

Disclaimer: I am an an affiliate for Amazon and may receive a small compensation if you click on a link from my blog and make a qualified purchase.

Carrot Tahini Soup In The Instant Pot

Carrot soup is easy to make, nutrient-rich, and delicious. Adding tahini to carrot soup turns it into something unusual and amazing!! 

It's a perfect recipe to eat at on a week night for a family dinner or to serve as an interesting soup for special company. Cooking for one or two? Cut the recipe in half. 

Fresh carrots are a staple that I always stock in my refrigerator just in case I want to make soup. Sometimes to add a few carrots to a hearty lentil soup recipe (link to recipe) or sometimes to use in a simple carrot soup, such as this wonderful carrot tahini soup.

I use this organic tahini paste in a glass jar from Trader Joe's 

Are you familiar with tahini paste?

It is a paste made from sesame seeds and very popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries. It is frequently added to chickpeas to make hummus or baba ganooj spread (link to recipe). It provides calcium, iron, copper as well as other valuable minerals and vitamins. Tahini has a unique pleasing flavor and helps make this carrot recipe slightly exotic. 

This vegan gluten-free soup calls for just a few basic ingredients plus some flavorful spices.

Are you aware that spices are an excellent source of valuable antioxidants. We need antioxidants to help protect our cells from cell damage that may lead to disease. 

Keeps in refrigerator 2-3 days or Freezes well

This soup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It can be frozen for 2 months, but I would freeze before adding the tahini paste and then add the tahini paste prior to serving. 

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, or pumpkin seeds which all add some extra protein to this pretty vegetable soup. 

I do love carrots and have made other carrot recipes in the past which you may also like such as Roasted Tomato Carrot Soup (link to recipe) or Carrot Ginger Soup With Lime (link to recipe).

I initially saw the idea for this soup recipe on a blog called Havoc In The Kitchen (link to Ben's recipe and blog) and then discovered other similar recipes on a variety of other blogs. Ben's photography and presentation are exquisite - you gotta go take a look -

After looking at a number of recipes, I decided to use one of my own basic Instant Pot carrot soup recipes and just added tahini and some za'atar. It came out great! Thanks Ben for the idea!!

Personally, I like to make all my soups in the Instant Pot, but of course this easy recipe could just as easily be made on the stove top if you prefer.

Ingredients: 

1 onion, chopped 

8-10 large organic carrots, cleaned and sliced

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder or 4 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed

3 cups of vegetable broth 

4 cups of water

1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric 

4 teaspoons of tahini (or more to taste) 

1/2 tsp of cumin, coriander, or za'atar (pick one not all)

Cracked black pepper to taste 

Garnish: seeds of choice (sesame, pumpkin, almonds) or fresh greens

Directions:

Add the onion, carrots, garlic powder or garlic, broth and water to the insert liner of the Instant Pot. Set to pressure cook for 4 minutes. When done manually release steam according to the manufacturers directions.  Add remainder of ingredients except garnish. Using an immersion blender blend until smooth and creamy. Serve and garnish. * before serving adjust seasoning- add more salt, pepper, and garlic powder if needed. 

My Notes: 

1. Za'atar is a natural spice to go with this soup 

2.This soup pairs well with avocado toast (GF of course) for a light lunch. If you feel you want more protein top the avocado toast with mashed chickpeas. 

3. This soup is kosher parve and may be suitable to use for a Sephardic Passover recipe.

4. This soup is vegan, oil-free, and gluten-free

5. Tahini separates in the jar. You will need to mix the paste and the oil together before using. I usually like to pour off and discard some of the oil from the jar before mixing to somewhat reduce the high oil content of tahini paste. 

6. Organic carrots are readily available in most markets. I think they taste better and are better for you!

7. Tahini paste does not need refrigeration unless indicated on jar.

Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy

Thanks for stopping by. If you are looking for easy and healthy plant-based gluten-free recipes, you have come to the right place. Today's recipe features potatoes. 

Easy Summer Gazpacho- Chilled, Thick , and Creamy

What makes this summer gazpacho thick and creamy? 

In addition to the tomatoes, cucumber, and red peppers, this chilled summer soup contains dehydrated potato flakes which gives the soup a creamy thicker consistency.

Food Processor

Gazpacho can be made in a food processor or blender, but I prefer to use the food processor to keep it somewhat chunky. For a smoother consistency, use the blender.

A refreshing chilled gazpacho hits the spot during this oppressive heat wave! (I'm in love with summer produce). Today the temperature hit almost 100 degrees- so who feels like cooking? Not me!!! 

That's the beauty of gazpacho.  It requires no cooking and uses the ripe seasonal vegetables that are flooding the farmer's market stands right now. 

I feel so good and earthy after I browse the farmer's market, select produce for the week, and go home with some of the freshest, richest tasting, wholesome, nutrient packed vegetables grown right here in Bucks County, Pa. 

The star ingredient in gazpacho is tomatoes and what better time to get sun-ripe sweet local tomatoes than in August! 

I used cherry tomatoes

You can use any type of farm/home grown tomato that you like, but I decided to use farm grown cherry tomatoes for this gazpacho. Why? 

First of all I had 3 containers of cherry tomatoes that needed to be used/eaten.  Second, I thought that the thinner skin on the cherry tomato would just disappear into the gazpacho and it did. The cherry tomatoes were sweet and less acidic making a simple very tasty gazpacho.

Sour Cream ? 

If you eat dairy (we don't), typically gazpacho is served with some sour cream. There are recipes for vegan sour cream. I found an easy recipe on the blog Cookie and Kate which is a very popular vegetarian blog that I frequent. 

Google vegan sour cream and find lots of similar recipes all over the web. Most use cashew nuts as a base for that creamy white look. Vegan sour cream is great for anyone dairy free, vegan, or kosher who needs a parve recipe.

Can gazpacho be made in advance? 

Yes! since it needs a minimum of 8 hours to chill, it is a perfect summer appetizer/starter that you can serve to guests or your family  and make it in advance. Make it in the morning and enjoy it for dinner. Or even make it the day before. Gazpacho keeps for about 4 days covered in the refrigerator. Remember to stir before serving.

Talk about adding more vegetables to your diet- Gazpacho is a winner.

Author: Judee Algazi

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: none

Serves: 2

Double the recipe to serve 4

Ingredients: 

1 pint size container of farm grown sweet cherry tomatoes, washed

1/2 large English cucumber, chopped

1/4 of a red onion, chopped

1 clove of fresh garlic, sliced in half

1/2 large red pepper or 5 colorful mini peppers, seeded and sliced

1/4 cup of potato flakes

1/2 teaspoon of salt (or more to taste)

Optional: fresh oregano, basil, hot pepper, or thyme (I did not use any)

Directions: 

Place the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and red peppers in the bowl of the food processor (or blender). Process until consistency is on the smooth side. Add potato flakes and any seasoning of choice (I only added salt). Divide between two 6 ounce cocktail glasses. Chill for at least 8 hours and serve. Garnish with chopped vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, or a little nut milk if desires.

My Notes

1. If you make this gazpacho with store bought tomatoes, it may not have the right flavor. The best flavor is from ripe and locally grown farm or homegrown produce.

2. If your produce is not as tasty, you might want to add a little vinegar or lemon juice to enhance the flavors. 

3. I did not blanch the tomatoes to remove the skin. I found the skin on the cherry tomato very thin and totally disappeared in the gazpacho and I think the skin would disappear using any tomato. Let me know if you try it.

4. I must confess that sometimes I can't wait 8 hours to eat my gazpacho. I have chilled it for as little as 4 hours. It wasn't as refreshing, but the flavor was there and I enjoyed it just the same.

5. If you do not have potato flakes (which are sold in most supermarkets)- simply leave it out. I've made it both ways and it is still very good. I buy this one- it say instant mashed potatoes from Whole Foods.

Coleslaw Macaroni Salad -Vegan, GF, and Oil-Free

 I love coleslaw and I love macaroni salad. This is two great summer salads combined in one!!

Need a side dish for your next BBQ or pot luck get-together that everyone will love? This crunchy coleslaw and macaroni salad is easy to make, very tasty, healthy, and can be made up to 2 days in advance. 

Asian Vegan Lettuce Wraps

Have you ever made lettuce wraps? 

Skip the bread and bring out the romaine in this simple appetizer.

French Creamy Mushroom Soup is Easy and Delicious

Looking for a thick and creamy mushroom soup? 

You can't go wrong with this flavorful French recipe.

It is one of my favorites and yet one of the easiest to make.

Moroccan Quinoa -Easy, Tasty, and Healthy

Moroccan cooking is all about the spices! This super easy Moroccan quinoa dish won't disappoint. Whether you serve it as a warm side dish for dinner or a cold salad for lunch, you'll enjoy this versatile, easy, nutritious, and plant-based recipe dusted with cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and pistachio nuts.

Cashew Basil Cream

I am excited about this simple cashew creamy sauce that not only can be made using a variety of ingredients, it also can be used on a variety of different dishes! I'm sharing my favorite way to prepare it which is the basic cashew basil cream. 

A Peek At My Week 6/4

This week my husband and I "flew the coop" from our condo in South Florida to begin the 19 -hour ride home to Pennsylvania. Between the Coronavirus and the unrest in the cities right now, we were a little nervous, to say the least. In this post, I'm sharing a book review, movie reviews, and vegan Pad Thai and a fabulous cherry tomato, avocado, and chickpea salad.

Savory Indian Vegetable Pancakes

Savory Indian Vegetable Pancakes are delicious and very easy to make. It's been over 77 days since I've been "staying in." (Although I have been taking daily walks with a mask, and I have been doing my own grocery shopping, but not too often)

Since we are not eating or ordering out, I am doing a significant amount of daily cooking. I've been experimenting with recipes that I wouldn't ordinarily make. We do really like Indian and Asian food, so out of desperation, I've started to give some recipes a try! Two weeks ago, I made an Asian recipe called Mongolian Mushrooms and Tofu that was fabulous. This week I thought I would try an Indian pancake.

Lemon Broccoli and Crispy Tofu

Lemon broccoli and tofu is one of those recipes that I make in a variety of ways depending on my mood and what I have in my kitchen. If I'm in a hurry, I stirfry everything in one skillet; if I want to spend a little more time, I crispy bake the tofu in the oven and then add it to the mixture. Sometimes I use cornstarch to make a creamy sauce, and sometimes I don't. I'll share all my different versions with you and then you can decide which one to try. 

Butternut Squash Fries with Chinese Peanut Sauce-

First let me say that you can use butternut squash or sweet potatoes- both work and!
taste great with this AMAZING peanut sauce!

I am becoming extremely creative with my cooking since we have been cooking and eating home for the past 60 + days.  Can you imagine how good these crunchy baked butternut squash or sweet potato fries taste drizzled with gingered peanut sauce?

Energy Balls- High Protein

Do you love cookie dough? 

These little high protein energy balls are all the rage on Pinterest right now and are made with chickpeas! Yes I did say chickpeas and no, they don't taste weird.

Mehalabeya- Light and Silky Pudding

Mehalabeya is a light and silky Middle Eastern delicious pudding that is traditionally flavored with orange blossom and or rose waters. It has a unique perfumey, yet appealing taste that most find very appealing. The great part is that is gluten free and egg free, and can be made dairy free!

Za'atar Spiced Cauliflower Rice

I am obsessed with cauliflower rice, and this za'atar (zahtar) spiced recipe is easy and delicious.

I love the taste, texture, and fluffiness of cauliflower rice. 

For me, it is a perfect substitute for regular white rice, which is high in calories, carbohydrates, and high on the glycemic index,  as opposed to cauliflower rice which is low in calories and low in carbohydrates and has a low glycemic index.

Vegan Eggroll in a Bowl

One of the things I love about Chinese egg rolls is the delicious filling. Being gluten free, it's difficult to find egg rolls that I can eat. I did find one brand (Lucky Brand) in the freezer section of some supermarkets that offers a vegan and gluten free choice for only 45 calories per egg roll. However, it's on the pricy side ($6.00 for a package of four small ones),  and its not always available.

Therefore, I decided to make my own Egg Roll in a Bowl which is the newest craze, and its all over Pinterest. It's basically a stir fry that is quick and easy to make, especially if you use a bag of coleslaw mix instead of grating your own cabbage.

Spinach Artichoke Dip - Low fat, Vegan, and Healthy

Enjoy your favorite dip with lower fat and calories.
Spinach artichoke dip has always been one of my favorite dips. However, not only is it extremely caloric, it is also very high in not so good for you type fat. The typical artichoke and spinach dip recipe calls for a good amount of mayonnaise and parmesan cheese which tastes great but is a little too rich for my weight loss diet. 

Roasted Vegetable Tray Makes a Beautiful Presentation

Are you looking for a great healthy side dish to serve to company? 

Roasted vegetables are easy to make, taste sensational, and make a beautiful presentation for any occasion. If you have a variety of guests, this recipe meets gluten free, dairy free, and nut free making it perfect if you, a family member or guest have special eating needs.

No matter what the vegetable, it tastes best roasted. Roasting allows vegetables to sweeten, remain firm, and retain their vibrant color.

Quinoa Lover's Salad

Doesn't this salad look amazing?  

It contains quinoa, fresh spinach, orange segments, chick peas, walnuts, mint, and roasted beets making it a nutritional powerhouse of antioxidants and vitamins. In addition, quinoa and chick peas are high in protein, making this salad a meal in a bowl. It's dressed in a light orange refreshing citrus dressing.

There is nothing like a hearty salad, especially during the summer when you may not feel like doing extensive cooking. A salad, such as this quinoa salad, could be a perfect lunch, light dinner, or even a side dish to complement any entree.

This recipe was shared with me by my daughter-in-law's mother, Jeanette. We were invited  last Saturday to their beautiful home in upstate New York. Knowing that I am a vegetarian, Jeanette surprised me with this delicious salad. After one bite, I knew I would want to share it with you on my blog.

The homemade fresh roasted beets in the salad are exceptionally delicious. However, if you are in a hurry and want to able to throw this vegan salad together more quickly, I would use cooked beets from a jar or even the roasted beets from the refrigerator section of most supermarkets. 

Jeanette told me she found the recipe on a blog called the Gluten Free Goddass. I adapted her recipe to suit my own taste and made the recipe oil-free, so please check out her blog for the original recipe. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of quinoa washed well and cooked (see below)
2 medium-large uncooked beets, trimmed and quartered and roasted (do not peel and see roasting directions below) 
3 cups of baby spinach leaves
1 cup (drained rinsed) cooked chick peas

Small handful of walnut halves

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 fresh orange, peeled, trimmed, cut into bite sized pieces

Optional: add slivered almonds, pine nuts, avocado slices

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Directions:

Beets: Preheat the oven to 375ºF to roast the beets. Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the whole trimmed beets on the parchment paper. Roasted in the oven for 45 minutes until the center of the beet is soft. When cool to touch, simply rub off skin. Cut beets into bite size pieces.

Quinoa: Cook quinoa according to the directions on the package and set aside. You can also make fluffy quinoa in minutes in the Instant Pot (link to the recipe). 

Wash spinach and set aside

Assemble 

To assemble the salad, mix the warm quinoa, chick peas, walnuts, mint, and spinach leaves in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Add the cut up beets and orange pieces without tossing to keep the beets to from excessive bleeding (everything will turn red if you overdo it)

                       


Try some of these other recipes that I  posted last July::


Basil Spinach Pesto




Cucumber Dill Dressing (vegetarian, not vegan)



Middle Eastern Lemonade- a recipe passed down in the family


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