BROWN RICE AND LENTIL SOUP – DIET SERIES #1



This week I will be posting the dishes, which I have been making for the past few weeks for my husband (a part of his weight loss plan and he has lost more 20 pounds so far…so I guess my dishes seem to work :). My next 2 recipes are also in the same combination of lentils and whole grains. Meals or soup like these, especially the combination of whole grains with lentils and vegetables are filling and healthy too and doesn’t make us miss out on our favorite foods. The soup recipe I have posted here is more or less sambar rice we make, but a little bit on the healthier side with lots of veggies and brown rice. This makes a complete meal by itself with a salad on side. I used a pressure cooker to cook the soup for fast cooking. This can be done on stove top too, it takes a little longer to cook the lentils this way but the taste is the same.


INGREDIENTS:

1. Lentils like green lentils, or masoor or moong dhal ½ cup.

2. Brown rice, ½ cup.

3. Onion, medium size, 1.

4. Diced tomatoes (fresh or canned), ½ cup.

5. Mixed vegetables, chopped into small pieces, 1 cup.

6. Cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon.

7. Coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon.

8. Salt and pepper as per taste.

9. Mixture of dry herbs, 1 tablespoon.

10. Garlic, 2 cloves.

11. Any seasoning mixture, 1 teaspoon.

12. Vegetable broth or tomato juice, 1 cup ( I sometimes use V8 tomato and vegetable soups, this gives a nice color to the soup and increases the veggie servings too).


PREPARATION:

Grind the cumin seeds and coriander seeds and keep aside. Dice the onion finely and crush the garlic coarsely. Heat a pressure pan or cooker with some oil. Add the diced onions when the oil turns hot and sauté for a few minutes until they turn brown. Add the canned tomatoes along with the veggies, crushed garlic, lentils, 3 cups of water, broth or tomato juice, salt and pepper and mix everything well. Cook for up to 3 whistles and let the pressure down. Add the ground powders and dry herbs now and mix everything well. Ladle hot soups into bowls and enjoy with a dollop of sour cream or nonfat yogurt on top.


A lighter version of the same soup made next week and served with salad.



41 comments:

Kanchan said...

Thats very interesting, weight loss so surely bookmarked these recipes :)

Kiran said...

Weight loss recipes keep them coming.They surely contain lots of whole grains and veggies.Brownrice and lentil soup looks very delicious.Bookmarked.

Cham said...

Very light and filling at the same time this soup!

Sushma Mallya said...

These recipes are much useful to me as well...even ill start from today onwards hopefully:)....soup looks healthy and yummy gita..

Suji said...

Great job Gita...Great recipes ..Healthy but filling ones...
Keep them coming friend..

Love
Kairali sisters

Nithya said...

Wow.. this is fantastic.. :)

Nithu Bala said...

Wow! nice soup..very healthy as well..

Unknown said...

woow!!!!yummy and healthy recipes.....

Ann said...

This looks awesome.. love this recipe

Priya Suresh said...

Such a filling and delicious soup, looks fantastic Gita..

Panchpakwan said...

Ohh wow thats so healhty recipe...

Astra Libris said...

Gita, I'm very excited about your diet recipe series! Your lentil soup looks fabulous - I've bookmarked it as the perfect dish to keep us warm and healthy during this bit of cold weather we're having! I'm eagerly awaiting the next recipe in the series! :-)

Unknown said...

Healthy and delicious soup! Great effort, Gita and thanks for sharing all these healthy recipes..

We have some awards waiting for you at our space. Please do stop by to collect them.

San said...

Gita you are doing a great favoUr by posting these healthy series of foods which is useful for everyone.Glad that your diet plan has worked n it still works :) Soup looks splendid n deserves a try.

Vikis Kitchen said...

Wow! loosing 20 lbs is wonderful. Hats off dear for such a healthy recipe series. Soup and salad sounds truly amazing.

divya said...

Wow! nice soup..very healthy as well..

SpicyTasty said...

Nice healthy recipe. Def ll try it. I always love to cook healthy recipes. Thanks for sharing.

kitchen queen said...

healthy and delicious soup.

Urmi said...

Very nice, interesting and healthy recipe. Looks yummy and tempting. Wonderful presentation.

SathyaSridhar said...

Gita,Brown Rice n lentil soup sounds great n very healthy with veggies dear.. here now in winter we like to have hot hot soup daily for our dinner,,, its soo filling n very healthy one easy to digest also.

Pavithra Elangovan said...

Wow loooks soooooooo delicious and yummy recipe and healthy.

Nisha said...

Award waiting for you Gita.

Suja Manoj said...

Wow this recipe is interesting...was in the lookout..useful for me as well..:)

AJ said...

Looks awesome - I am also on a soup spree. Try to have a soup dinner every alternate night:)

Nandinis food said...

Very healthy and mouthwatering combo.

Shama Nagarajan said...

good one dear..healthy choice

Raks said...

Wow,sounds filling and great,wish I could follow all these diet plans:)

Aruna Manikandan said...

Delicious healthy soup :-)
Thx. for sharing ....

Ms.Chitchat said...

Healthy looking soup,love to have it any time.

Menaga Sathia said...

perfect & healthy soup!!

Yasmeen said...

Good going with the diet series,I love this wholesome soup :D

Hari Chandana P said...

delicious recipe.. looks perfect and healthy!!

Faiza Ali said...

Thats a healthy and yet delicious looking soup.. and ya, waiting for more weight losing recipes :)

Hayley said...

Congrats to your hubby for loosing 20 pounds..so are you treating him with some mithais..lol..you are doing great job...soup looks delicious and healthy!!

Rachana said...

Great weight loss recipes Gita:) so healthy and delicious!!!!

Unknown said...

looks nice great soup gita wanna taste it

after preparing i will tell you taste see you soon

Anonymous said...

interesting soup.

Malar Gandhi said...

Wholesome soup sounds delicious, Perfect with salad. So, there is going to be more diet recipes from now on?...your posts helps me to be on track as well:)

Namitha said...

Cool..Looking forward to other weight loss recipes...

PranisKitchen said...

gita so u guys are on diet..all my best wishes..the soup is really delicious..the brown rice is best for diet..sure u can achieve the goal

Usha said...

Very filling and healthy soup Gita! Looks delicious...