Cauliflower, coconut and orange lentil soup

This soup is a colorful dish that comes together by combining veggies with a wide variety of flavors, including cumin, coriander, coconut milk and ginger powder.

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower (or 2 cups chopped)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium brown onion, diced small
• 2 large stalks celery, diced small
• 2 large carrots, diced small
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ginger powder
• 2½ cups low sodium vegetable broth or water
• 1 can coconut milk
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flake, to taste

Optional: Whole wheat pita, and fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Add the cauliflower to a large pot along with ½ cup water. Cover and cook for 5–8 minutes depending on your desired texture. Turn off the heat, add to a container and set aside. In the same pot used to cook the cauliflower, add the vegetable oil, onion, celery and carrots over medium heat. Cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Toss in the coriander, cumin, garlic, paprika, turmeric and ginger powder and cook for another minute.
2. Make the lentils: Pour in the vegetable broth or water and add the lentils. Stir to combine, cover and cook for 10 minutes. The lentils should be soft. Turn off the heat and add half of the cauliflower to the pot along with the coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to mix until smooth. If using a food processor or blender, add the contents of the pot to the container and pulse until smooth, then add back to pot. Taste for seasoning and add red pepper flakes, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
3. Add the remaining cauliflower to the pot and simmer and cook for 5 minutes. The soup should be a bit chunky, and the lentils should be soft and tender. Add a little more water if the soup is too thick for your liking. Serve immediately with whole wheat pita and garnished with fresh cilantro as desired.