This Sweet Potato and Lentil soup was surprisingly delicious to me. I am not a big sweet potato fan. My feelings for them are quite ambivalent. Nonetheless, I settled upon this recipe since I was not making the dish for myself.
Since moving in with a vegan, the Minimalist Baker has been my top source for many easy vegan meal ideas. This soup one-pot soup did not disappoint. Click here for the original recipe. I have to make a few alterations for the ingredients I did not have on hand, and to utilize the ones I did.
For example, I did not have cilantro or green beans. Instead, I used baby spinach and omitted the optional cilantro. The spices used in this soup give such warmth and depth: coriander, cinnamon, cumin, and pair wonderfully with the sweet potato. A little cayenne pepper for heat would be enjoyable as well, with this sweet potato and lentil soup.
Cooking with Love
Often, I find myself making meals for people to help them feel better. In this instance, it was my roommate, who was down with a cold. My love of cooking is rooted in serving others. When my grandmother was teaching me to cook, it was usually during a big family meal. In my childhood, I must have grated 20 pounds of cheese and peel 60 pounds of potatoes.
At the time, I was resentful because I wanted to stir the food in the pots or flip something in the pan. Unbeknownst to me, those acts were the foundation on which I continued to build for years to come. When I think back on it, I realize I was her 11-year-old prep cook.
My grandmother died before she could see me cooking professionally. I took up her mantle of feeding people with love and caring in the form of food. She is part of the reason I started this blog. I have no children to pass the serving spoon to continue the tradition. Therefore, I pass down my passion to all of you.