Cozy lentil soup with delicata squash

Ingredients

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced small
Sea salt
2 carrots, peeled and diced small
2 celery stalks, diced small
1 medium delicata squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup dried green lentils, rinsed well
8 cups vegetable broth
1 cup tightly packed, stemmed and thinly sliced kale

Directions

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add carrots, celery, squash and another pinch of salt and sauté until all vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. salt and red pepper flakes. Add lentils and stir to coat. Pour in 1/2 cup of the broth to deglaze the pot, stirring to loosen any bits stuck to the pot, and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add remaining broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Decrease heat to low. Cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Taste; you may want to add a pinch of salt. Stir in kale and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.

Variations: Substitute fennel for the celery to add more depth to the flavor. If you have trouble finding delicata squash, use its cousin, butternut squash.

Serves 6

Recipe reprinted with permission from "The Healthy Mind Cookbook," Copyright © 2015 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo by Maren Caruso.