Vegan Red Lentil Soup

*found and adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 med carrots-peeled and diced
• 3 celery stalks-chopped
• 1 small yam-peeled and diced
• 1 cup dry red lentils
• 2 cups butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 1 (14 ounce) can lite coconut milk
• 6 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch cumin
• 3 cups spinach
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the onion, ginger, garlic, carrots, yam and celery until onion is tender.
2. Mix the lentils, squash, and cilantro into the pot. Stir in the broth, coconut milk, and tomato paste. Season with curry powder, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, cumin,salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, or until lentils and squash are tender. Add spinach and cook for another 5 minutes and serve.