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Healing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables

Healing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbased

Part of the reason I started this blog was to discover the type of eating that makes me feel healthy, plain and simple. Apart from being diagnosed with lactose intolerance at the age of five, I’ve always had a fairly sensitive stomach. And despite having a full spectrum of medical testing, coupled with visits to gastroenterologists, dietitians, and nutritionists, I was never able to really pinpoint the physical source of my health issues.

However, through my yoga teacher training, I’ve been given an incredibly opportunity to turn inward and reflect upon the health problems throughout my life. When in my life did I feel healthy? What foods did I eat that made me feel goodMy yoga teacher training, in terms of solving my health issues, has been incredibly unique in that it encourages reflection upon the “mind-body connection”, instead of just focusing on the physical aspect of health. Ayurvedic teachings hold that the mind and body are two intertwined and interconnected entities that, when in synergy, contribute to our overall health and wellness. The western view of medicine has always been more segregated.

Healing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbasedHealing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbased

Now, no one in the ayurveda camp is saying that you should meditate to fix your broken leg instead of going to the doctor to get it fixed. However, ayurvedic teaching is much more focused on preventative medicine, whereas western practices are very “treat it as it comes” centric. Indeed, western philosophy is only beginning to discover some of the knowledge that has been part of ayurvedic teachings for millennia. It seems like every week there’s a new study linking stress to disease, or discussing the effects our mental state has on our physical well-being.

But I digress. How this relates to my health story is that growing up, I just accepted for a fact that my digestive issues were purely physical. Only recently have I started to realize how what I eat affects my mind, and in turn my mind affects how I digest it.

Healing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbasedHealing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbased

I’ve found through much experimentation that a whole-foods, plant based diet works best for me. I know that the foods I am eating are healthy, which in turn helps me better experience my own state of wellness. I know that might sound weird, but if I eat junk food, I know what I’ve just eaten is unhealthy… and that thought itself makes me feel sick. Does that makes sense?

But like I wrote about in this post, this is only my definition of wellness. Nearly everyone I’ve met can eat junk food, no problem, and feel fine. And while I’m definitely jealous of everyone else and their food-tolerance abilities (!!!), I’m so relieved that I’m finally starting to figure out what works for me.

Healing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbased

This recipe here is a variation of a soup I make whenever I have an upset stomach. It’s full of healing spices and vegetables, and made with soft red lentils for easier digestion. I sautéed the vegetables in coconut oil before, also to make them softer and easier to digest. It’s so comforting and healing, and I always feel better after I have some of this soup.

Healing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbased

Healing Lentil + Turmeric Soup w/ Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbased

Healing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables

Warming and comforting, this healing lentil soup is the perfect meal for a cleanse or recovery from illness.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 Bowls

Ingredients
  

  • 3-4 Cloves Garlic minced
  • Handful of Kale finely chopped
  • Small Knob of Coconut Oil
  • 1 Cup Green Beans finely chopped
  • Handful of Fresh Basil
  • 3-4 Scallions
  • 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 1 Cup Red Lentils
  • 1 Tsp Turmeric
  • Pinch of Salt + Pepper
  • Freshly chopped cilantro for topping optional

Instructions
 

  • Sauté the minced garlic and kale in a small knob of coconut oil in a large saucepan or pasta pot on medium heat until garlic is just browned.
  • Bring pan to low heat and add all other veggies - green beans, fresh basil, and scallions - and sauté for about a minute.
  • Pour vegetable stock and water over veggies and stir well.
  • Add lentils, turmeric, and salt and pepper and stir.
  • Let soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • To serve, top with freshly chopped cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

Red lentils were used in this soup due to their soft consistency when cooked. If a sturdier lentil is more your thing, I would recommend using black or green lentils instead!

Healing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbasedHealing Lentil Soup w/ Turmeric + Summer Vegetables | Well and Full | #vegan #recipe #plantbased

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34 Comments

  • Reply
    bec norris
    August 3, 2015 at 4:14 am

    Beautiful recipe! Really exciting to try this one. I am actually studying dietetics but am intrigued by what you have learnt about the gut and mind connection. I think it is really important and a holistic approach to nutrition and well being is key to longevity. Have you read any books that you would recommend?

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 3, 2015 at 8:14 am

      Hey, Bec! I’m so glad you liked it! In terms of reading about holistic medicine, I would definitely recommend anything by Dr. Deepak Chopra. His background is in endocrinology, and he taught at prestigious universities like Harvard and Boston University before he started his journey in meditation and holistic medicine. I think that the fact that he had such a scientific background lends further credence to his studies in alternative approaches. The book that got me interested in his writings was “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga”, which isn’t necessarily about diet per se, but touches upon mindful eating and the mind-body connection :)

  • Reply
    Kathryn @ The Scratch Artist
    August 3, 2015 at 6:51 am

    Growing up I was constantly dealing with stomach aches. It was not until I made the mind body connection that things started to improve. For me, it was a combination of things: anxiety, the things I was eating, and not considering I was in control of my health. Similarly, the focus of my blog, creating food from scratch, was one of the ways I solved my gastrointestinal challenges. When I make my food from scratch, I feel good, that simple. Lovely post and pictures. Thank you for sharing, Sarah.

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 3, 2015 at 8:17 am

      Hey Kathryn, thank you so much for your note! Isn’t it crazy how we try to treat our physical ailments with no thought (literally) to the mind at all? The brain governs nearly every function in our body… it seems almost ludicrous that we would try to separate that from the rest of our bodies.

  • Reply
    Erica
    August 3, 2015 at 6:19 pm

    I absolutely love this post! I’m in medical school right now and your words on wellness and preventative medicine really hit home. It really is so personalized, isn’t it? I felt like I was reading something that always replays in my head over and over with the whole eating what’s right for YOU part.
    Also, just found your blog recently and I am totally in love with it. You take such beautiful photos and your recipes are so creative!! Definitely will be following and seeing what you post in the future :)

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 3, 2015 at 9:03 pm

      Thank you so much for your note Erica! It really meant a lot to me. First of all, congratulations on being in medical school! That is such an achievement right there, I have a friend who is in the process of applying and I know how hard it is! The fact that you are already being so thoughtful about medicine means you’ll be a fantastic doctor :) And I’m so glad you like my blog and my photos! I feel like I’m still so new to it all so I really get blown away when anyone likes my photography!! Thank you so much for stopping by :)

  • Reply
    Sina
    August 4, 2015 at 5:02 am

    This sounds so delicious! What a great combo! :-) It’s way to warm for soup right now (we got almost 95 degrees), but once it cools down a bit, I’ll definitely have to try your recipe!

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 4, 2015 at 10:04 am

      It’s been very warm here too! I was debating on whether or not I wanted to post this soup during such a heat wave, but I had a little stomachache the other day and this was very soothing for me. I hope it can help others too :)

  • Reply
    Kelly // The Pretty Bee
    August 4, 2015 at 10:36 am

    Wow, what a gorgeous soup! The color is so vibrant! And I loved reading your thoughts about what you eat nd how you feel. As I have gotten older, I realize that too many grains and starches lead me to feel a bit blue and anxious. It’s very interesting to see how what we eat affects us.

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 4, 2015 at 4:45 pm

      It’s really amazing how much our diet can affect our overall well-being, mentally and physically. I feel like in ancient times, people were so more in tune with the connection between food & their bodies. I love that Hippocrates quote – “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” He had it right! :)

  • Reply
    Aimee / Wallflower Girl
    August 4, 2015 at 1:26 pm

    This sounds so perfect. And as someone who also suffers with a sensitive stomach from time to time, it’s very appreciated! I have to say your blog is one of my new favourites right now, I love it :-)

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 4, 2015 at 4:46 pm

      Thank you so much Aimee!! I’m a huge fan of your blog as well so that means a lot :)

  • Reply
    genevieve @ gratitude & greens
    August 4, 2015 at 2:25 pm

    I thought about pursuing a career in nutrition for a while, and I loved reading about ayurvedic healing. I think there are lots of benefits to western medicine, I just wish western medicine viewed the body more holistically by promoting overall wellness rather than just quick-fixing everything with antibiotics. Antibiotics are obviously beneficial but I think we’ve begun to rely too much on them! So good to hear that you’ve found what works for you- eating a plant-based and whole foods diet has really helped my health, too! And such a big coincidence because red lentil soup is what I make whenever I’m feeling under the weather. So delicious and nourishing!

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 4, 2015 at 4:47 pm

      I couldn’t agree more – everything in western medicine is very “quick-fix” oriented! We really have little to no concept of preventative healing. It’s unfortunate, because it’s much more productive to fix problems before they happen!!

  • Reply
    Sophie | The Green Life
    August 4, 2015 at 7:46 pm

    This is such a nice post Sarah!
    I love the teachings of Ayurveda and I couldn’t agree more…there is such a strong connection between the body and the mind. It’s fascinating to see how powerful the mind can be and how all the things we think and feel translate to physical manifestations in our bodies.
    And I’m all for prevention instead of the quick-fix approach our society is used to. Eating a plant-based diet is such a wonderful way to do it. :) This soup sounds lovely!

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 5, 2015 at 9:55 am

      Thank you so much for your note, Sophie! :)

  • Reply
    Jessie Snyder | Faring Well
    August 5, 2015 at 9:14 am

    This does sound so healing! I will have to give it a try sometime when my stomach is not behaving. And I love your words on how our mentality effects our physical well being. So true. Hugs tummy-problems-twin!

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 5, 2015 at 12:47 pm

      Sending huge hugs your way, girl! <3 :)

  • Reply
    Kylie Rodger
    August 5, 2015 at 11:50 am

    YUM! I just made this for a group of people – it is divine!!! I added a couple dashes of coconut sugar at the end to off set the bitter turmeric – so delicious! Can’t wait to try more recipes from your blog – keep up the BEAUTIFUL work, darling! XOXOXO

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 5, 2015 at 12:43 pm

      I am so glad you liked it, Kyle!! Adding the coconut sugar is a brilliant idea, I’ll have to try that next time :) XO

  • Reply
    Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry
    August 5, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    This soup is perfect for someone who has an irritated gut like me. And I love the ease of the recipe.

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 5, 2015 at 12:46 pm

      I found it to be really comforting when I had an upset stomach! I hope you like it, Nicole! :)

  • Reply
    Shanna | Kiss My Bowl
    August 5, 2015 at 12:55 pm

    I know exactly – EXACTLY – how you feel! I am totally the same, it’s so easy to cut out crappy foods when you KNOW the ingredients (can we call them that?) in there are so unhealthy, so totally fabricated. I love it. Wonderful recipe, too, by the way!

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 5, 2015 at 3:46 pm

      Thanks Shanna!! I’m so glad you like it :)

  • Reply
    Grace
    August 6, 2015 at 10:13 am

    I loved reading this post and this soup! Aside from the fact that it’s super nutritious and healing it looks absolutely delicious! I’ve been hearing some interesting news on the mind / body (specifically tummy) health connection that’s got me super excited! Check them out here and here. Can’t wait to try this lovely soup!

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 6, 2015 at 11:13 am

      Thanks so much for sending these articles my way, Grace! I think the new research that’s being done on the brain-gut connection is fascinating!! :)

  • Reply
    Cady | Wild Heart of Life
    August 6, 2015 at 1:30 pm

    Hey Sarah,

    I’m so glad for a community of bloggers/people who make me feel like these vague stomach issues are not something only I deal with. The suffering they can inflict is very physically real, and I’ve talked to my nutritionist a lot about the involvement of serotonin in the gut and come to understand the role my brain and anxiety play in my stomach issues. When I’m starving but suffering, I’m always looking for that food that will settle my stomach and not aggravate it further. I will certainly give this soup a shit. It looks fantastic. What is it about soup that is just so nourishing and healing?

    Also you have impeccable music taste. :)

    • Reply
      WellAndFull
      August 6, 2015 at 1:55 pm

      Aww thanks girl!! It IS so nice to know that we’re not all alone in our ambiguous stomach issues. Oftentimes I’ve felt despondent about my health issues, feeling like no one really understood what I was going through. It’s such a terrible feeling to go through something alone :( Luckily through blogging I’ve been able to connect with those with similar issues, and it gives me hope :)

      I call this soup “healing” not only because it is nutritious, but it is also very calming to the body. The main spice in the soup is turmeric, which is known to have many homeopathic and medicinal properties. In addition, garlic has also been shown to aid in the recovery from many viruses. Another important thing to keep in mind when you’re sick is that your body is working overtime to rid your system of an illness. Keeping this in mind, it’s important to eat healthy, nutrient-dense foods to keep your body nourished while it heals itself. Kale is an amazing source of many vitamins and nutrients, and red lentils provide a boost of protein in addition to being very easy to digest when cooked in this way. But the most important factor (I think) is that this soup is warming and comforting, which helps ease the mind! :)

  • Reply
    Jenny
    September 13, 2015 at 11:24 am

    5 stars
    I can’t wait to make this soup today so I can have a healthy go-to meal throughout the week. When the recipe calls for a cup of lentils, does that mean cooked or uncooked? I’m not sure if it matters, but I wanted to check. Thanks!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      September 13, 2015 at 8:47 pm

      Uncooked! :D

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