Recipe: Pumpkin Lentil Soup

Try this smooth, filling soup. The lentils provide slow-digesting carbohydrates, protein and fiber, so this soup will keep you satisfied for hours. The soluble fiber in lentils can help lower cholesterol, too.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 2–6 garlic cloves, diced
• 3 ribs celery, chopped (3/4 cup)
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 cups red lentils
• 7–8 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 large can pumpkin (no sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• Lots of Tabasco®

Directions

1. Combine onion, garlic, celery, carrots, lentils and broth or water in a soup pot. Bring to a boil.
2. Lower heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft and lentils have turned to mush.
3. Add pumpkin and spices and simmer until all is blended.
4. Add Tabasco to taste.

Ingredient health benefits

• Onions: Though it’s a bit of a tearjerker, there’s a lot to celebrate about this common ingredient. Onions are full of flavonoids, compounds found in fruits and vegetables that promote heart and brain health. Onions also give your gut plenty of prebiotics and fiber, which feed the good bacteria that live there and help things “go smoothly.”
• Garlic: There are a lot of benefits in this little allium. Garlic has compounds that boost your immunity, fight chronic inflammation and may help lower your blood pressure. And, in addition to protecting you from bloodsucking creatures of the night, garlic also protects your food from harmful bacteria that can make you very sick.
• Celery: Though it may not look like much (or taste like much), celery is definitely worth including in this hearty meal. Celery has potassium and certain properties that can help lower your blood pressure. This stalky veggie also has vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin K and folate to keep your immune system, blood, bones and many other body systems in peak condition.
• Carrots: These root vegetables are a time-honored soup ingredient, and they also have plenty of perks to offer. Vitamin A and a carotenoid called beta-carotene support your eyes and help preserve your vision. And if you want to add a little more color to your meal, consider adding purple carrots, which have anthocyanins — natural pigments that lower your blood pressure and protect your heart from disease.
• Red lentils: The softest of the lentil variety when cooked, red lentils are packed with essential nutrients like iron and fiber. Lentils, in general, also have vitamin B1 (thiamine), an important vitamin that supports many different aspects of your health, especially your heart and nervous system. And they’re a good source of fiber and polyphenols that suppress unwanted inflammation and promote a healthy brain.
• Pumpkin: This versatile gourd isn’t only for festive occasions. In fact, those sticky, unappetizing strings you see when you hollow out a pumpkin are actually a treasure trove of nutrients. Pumpkin has vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants that keep your cells healthy and safe from harmful free radicals. It also has compounds that protect your eyes from diseases like cataracts. It’s no wonder that pumpkin has earned superfood status!
• Hot sauce: Yes, you read that correctly; even hot sauce has some health potential. Capsaicin, a natural compound that brings on the heat, revs up your metabolism and can also trigger a feeling of fullness, keeping your stomach satisfied for longer. It may also encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Servings = 8 to 10

Calories: 180

Fat: 0 g

Saturated fat: 0 g

Sodium: 135 mg

Protein: 11 g

Carbohydrate: 33 g

Sugars: 7 g

Dietary fiber: 7 g

— Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn.