For the past few years I’ve been cooking for my niece and nephews school, they have a medieval games festival every year for the 6th grade class. It’s a lot of fun, there’s an obstacle course that includes massive hay bales and a mud pit, all sorts of medieval style sports like balance beam battles and using a javelin to spear a ring, all interspersed with performances of different groupings of students who take the chance to show off their singing skills and such.
This year they also had a professional Renaissance Faire performance troupe of contortionists, fire dancers and sword swallowers. It’s pretty great. I love how creative and experiential the school is and I love helping them with this event, not in the least because it gives me a chance to see my niece and nephew. Getting to spend time with them makes me unbelievably happy.
The last couple years, I’ve provided the food for them. They’re going for finger foods that feel authentic since they serve it all on pie pans with no silverware. Delicious things like lemon rosemary chicken legs, herb roasted root vegetables and a roll. The thing is, it’s a Waldorf school, so there’s a lot of vegetarian/vegan kids and unfortunately, vegan food can sometimes be challenging for kids to enjoy, and in this context finding a vegan option that still fits the bill for something that feels like it would fit in the time period can be challenging.
This soup is a hit though, many of the kids come back for 2nd and 3rd bowls, even the adults and non vegan kids get in on the action! This last year I made two 5 gallon buckets of it to make sure I had enough so that everyone could have a few bowls. It’s savory, filling and the mushrooms in the vegetable stock give it a satisfying dose of umami. I usually make this recipe in large quantities (like one of the big pots to the right) so the recipe is meant for a crowd. If you are feeding a smaller group then scale it back or freeze some for later, it holds up well to reheating.
If you want to try to get more vegetables into your little ones you can add finely diced sweet potato, chopped kale or other vegetables to the soup as the flavor holds up and is a good way to sneak greens in if you have a picky eater. One thing I will say about this is the flavors are fuller if the soup can sit overnight. I often add the spinach just before serving but if you have a picky eater, mix it in earlier so it will wilt throughly. The vegetable broth I always try to make at least day or more ahead so it can mature in flavor. I keep jars of it in the cupboard (I adore my pressure cooker) so that when I want to make a batch of soup it’s just there and has time to develop its flavor.
The soup itself I make a day in advance so that it has a full hearty taste. You can serve it right away, but this is why I make a large pot and freeze it when I make it for home. I just gets better over time.
Let me know what you think!
MWAH!
Sabrina – The Kitchen Witch
Lentil Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 lg Red Onion, Diced Fine
- 1 md White Onion, Diced Fine
- 1 sm Head of Garlic, Diced Fine
- 4 lg Carrots, Diced Fine
- 4 Ribs Celery, Diced Fine
- 6 lg Portobello Mushrooms, Diced Fine
- 2 packages Wood Ear Mushrooms, Diced Fine
- 1 Bunch Green Onion, Diced
- 1 lg Leek, Diced Fine
- 1 cup Brown Lentils
- 1 cup Yellow Lentils
- 1 cup Split Peas
- 1 cup Chaana Dal (Dry Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas)
- 3 cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 sm can Tomato Paste
- A lot of Spinach (or Chopped Kale)
- Enough Vegetable Stock To Fill The Pot 3/4 Full (Approx. 12 cups)
- 4 T Olive Oil
- 4 T Vegan Butter
- 1/8 t Cumin Seeds
- 1/4 t Ground Rosemary
- a few branches Fresh Thyme
- 1/2 t Ground Sage
- 1 T Dried Onion
- 1/2 t Garlic Powder
- 1/2 t Onion Powder
- To Taste: Montreal Steak Seasoning (instead of plain pepper)
- To Taste: Garlic Salt (instead of plain salt)
Instructions
- I make this in my largest stock pot.
- Dice red and white onion, leek, carrots and celery fine, sauté with olive oil and cumin seeds, when onion starts to go glassy add in finely diced mushrooms and the vegan butter (mushrooms have a more well rounded flavor when you add the butter taste to them).
- Add onion powder, garlic powder and a little of the Montreal Steak Seasoning to the mix, sauté for a few moments longer, then add the vegetable broth and the rest of the ingredients (set aside the chopped green onions).
- Bring up to a boil and then drop to a low simmer until the lentils are uniformly tender, while they are still just a little firm, add the green onions.
- When everything is cooked, add the spinach so it wilts just before serving. You don't really taste it but it makes the soup extra nutritious.