The often neglected foods lentils, chickpeas and broad beans can serve as a nutritious dinner in the form of thick soups that will fill you up and help you fall asleep more easily. Due to the richness of protein, they represent a valuable alternative to meat, and their added value is that they are easily available, affordable and easy to prepare.
Along with beans and peas, lentils, chickpeas and broad beans are included in the group of grain legumes, which, in addition to carbohydrates, contain an excellent proportion of vegetable proteins, and are also rich in vitamins and minerals.
According to the guidelines of the proper nutrition pyramid, the legumes listed above are in the food group together with meat, fish, eggs and nuts. Half a cup of cooked dry legumes will satisfy one of the recommended 2 to 3 servings per day.
If you cook large quantities of soup, the advantage is that you can keep it in the refrigerator for a few days, thus ensuring several dinners in a busy weekly schedule.
The following are three recipes for soups. The quantities are intended for two people (2-3 plates).
Red lentil soup
Ingredients:
- a cup of red lentils
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 cloves of garlic
- fresh tomato
- Bay leaf
- thyme
- sun
- explained
Preparation:
The advantage of red lentils is that you don’t have to soak them in water beforehand like, for example: chickpeas, but just rinse them several times under water.
In a deep pot, sauté finely chopped onion, carrot and garlic in olive oil until they soften.
Add the finely chopped tomato together with the red lentils and add water to cover the ingredients. Then add thyme and bay leaf to the pot and cook the ingredients on low heat for about twenty minutes.
Season the soup with salt and pepper as desired. Let it cool for five minutes and mix with a hand mixer until you get a thick, creamy mixture.
Chickpea soup
Ingredients:
- half a cup of chickpeas (about 3 handfuls)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- sun
- explained
Preparation:
Chickpeas need to be soaked in water overnight.
Sauté the finely chopped onion and carrot in olive oil until soft.
Add the chickpeas to the pot and add water just enough to cover them. Insert two bay leaves and season with pepper and salt as desired.
After about 30 minutes, when the chickpeas are completely cooked, mix all the ingredients to get a thick texture of the soup.
Bean soup
Ingredients:
- half a cup of green beans (3 handfuls)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- onion
- bigger carrot
- 2 cloves of garlic
- basil
- sun
- explained
- a handful of sunflower seeds
Preparation:
It is best to use young beans that do not need to be peeled or already cleaned, frozen beans from a bag. If the beans are not very young, boil them in boiling water for two minutes, and it will be easier to remove the skins by pressing the beans between your thumb and forefinger. If you use dried beans, cover them with water and let them soak overnight.
After the pre-chopped onion, carrot and garlic have been sufficiently sautéed in olive oil, put the beans in the pot and add enough water to cover the ingredients.
Season the soup with a pinch of basil, pepper and salt and let it cook for about half an hour. At the end, mix the ingredients and, if necessary, add a handful of sunflower seeds.
