Spicy Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

Red lentils are a great source of protein and along with the sweet potato this proves a very healthy soup to have at lunchtime. There is no need to fill up on bread either as you will find the lentils are filling enough.

Ingredients

1 medium onion

1 fat clove of garlic

A knob of butter

2 medium carrots

2 sticks of celery

2 large sweet potatoes (about 400g in total)

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 litre of vegetable or chicken stock

200g split red lentils

Method

• Chop the onion and garlic and gently sweat them in a large saucepan with a knob of butter over a medium heat.

• In the meantime peel and chop the carrots, trim and chop the celery and scrub (no need to peel) and chop the sweet potatoes into 5cm/2in cubes.

• When the onion and garlic have softened but not coloured, add in the carrots, celery and potatoes and sweat for another few minutes.

• Add in the cayenne pepper and cumin seeds and mix to coat the vegetables well. Then add in the stock and the lentils, bring the saucepan to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.

• Once the potatoes are cooked remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Then, using a hand-blender, carefully blitz the soup until smooth. If it is a little thick just add some hot water while blending. Alternatively the soup can be blended in a jug blender in batches.

• Return to a medium/high heat to reheat fully before serving.