Wild Mushroom Lentil-Veggie Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 whole or 8-10 baby carrots, diced
1 small zucchini, sliced in half-moon shape
1 small or 1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
salt, to taste
6 Shiitake mushrooms, sliced and stems removed
1 handful oyster mushrooms, sliced and stems removed
1 small handful Hon-shimeji mushrooms, stems removed*
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
32 ounces vegetable stock or broth**
4 sprigs fresh thyme (can use dried)
1 sprig rosemary (can use dried)
1-1/2 cups brown lentils
1 cup shredded greens, such as mustard, kale, or arugula (optional)
Bragg's Liquid Aminos, to taste
This is a great soup to use up any fresh veggies you have on hand!
1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, zucchini, onion, red bell pepper, and salt; sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, hon-shimeji mushrooms, and another pinch of salt; sauté for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and another pinch of salt, and sauté for another 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the can of whole tomatoes, crushing them by hand as you add them, then add the vegetable stock; cover and bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
5. Reduce to medium-low heat. Stir in thyme and rosemary; cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Stir in lentils; cover and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the shredded greens at the end of the cooking time. When the lentils are tender, the soup is ready. After putting the soup in serving bowls, garnish with a few sprays of Braggs or a good tablespoon of flax or hemp oil.
Serve this with some whole grain toast, or better yet, a yummy vegan grilled cheese sandwich! Enjoy!
* If you can’t find the Hon-shimenji (found in most Asian markets) mushrooms, you can substitute with criminis.** If you don’t have any vegetable stock/broth on hand, you can substitute 32 ounces water mixed with 1 teaspoon of concentrated stock. If you do this, be careful when adding salt, as the concentrate is usually pretty salty.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
I enjoyed this recipe as a simple lentil-veggie soup. To me, the taste of the mushrooms was difficult to detect since there were so many other veggies, so I've renamed it for myself. :) Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious, healthy and satisfying!