Boy, laying floor was killer.  Managed to smash my pinky with a hammer.  Luckily, it’s not broken.  It looks pretty nasty, though.

I haven’t finished the flooring yet, so I will be working another couple of days.  In the meantime, I have to make dinner.  I chose something simple this week with my favorite ingredient, lentils.  I picked a recipe from Inspired Taste for Lentil Soup with Lemon and Turmeric.  This recipe is quite low cal, so I will add some chicken to provide more protein.  I like the flavor profile and I think with a few add ons it will be a very hearty and easy dish.

Here are the original stats:

Here’s what I changed:

• I added chicken to increase the protein.
• I added red bell pepper to increase the vitamin C.
• I swapped out the chicken broth for a low sodium variety to reduce the sodium.
• I replaced the dill pickle with raw cucumber, vinegar and dill to lower the sodium.
• I deleted the added salt to reduce the sodium.

Here are the final stats

Here is the final recipe:

Lentil Soup with Lemon, Turmeric and Chicken

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups finely chopped onion (1 medium onion)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrot (2 large carrots)
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 pound chicken breast, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 cup lentils, picked and rinsed
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 heaping cups spinach
• 1 to 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs like parsley or dill, optional

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrot, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until they are softened and starting to smell sweet, about 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add in the chicken and cook until well browned, but not cooked through.
3. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, black pepper, and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the lentils and broth. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Uncover the pot and stir in the spinach and cook, uncovered, another 5 minutes. Take the soup off of the heat, and then stir in the juice of half a lemon and the fresh herbs. Taste the soup, and then season with additional lemon juice. Serve.