Today is another “snow day”… a concept I never really understood until I moved to Asheville. Growing up in the northeast, driving in the snow was a regular occurrence and school days were pretty rare. Attending college in the Midwest, classes were never once canceled because of weather conditions. Following graduation, I moved to Manhattan where nothing could slow us New Yorkers down, especially the weather!
So when schools closed before the first snowflake fell, on the very first snowstorm of the winter, I was shocked and amused. Sure enough that storm was more than a light dusting (still laughable to those of you up north), but the number of days it took Asheville to get up and running once again, shocked and amused me.
Last night it snowed, but this time I was prepared! I stopped at the grocery store yesterday to pick up a handful of ingredients that I would need to make lentil soup. Soup is perfect for snow days. It keeps you warm from the inside out and is so easy to make that you won’t spend your entire day off in the kitchen (unless that is how you prefer to spend your down time).
Have I mentioned that I am back in school? That’s right. I’m working towards my Master’s degree in Human Nutrition and plan to graduate next year. Balancing school and work is hard! That’s why everything I cook has to be quick, easy and healthy! My free time is limited. You won’t see me making any Julia Child-esk recipes here. No siree. I can’t afford to get sick so making healthy meals is a must. So now I have enough soup to last me a few days and it only took me 5 minutes to prepare. How’s that for efficient?
Snow is like nature’s way of saying “stop, slow down and listen to the serenity outside.” May be it’s living in the south, or may be I’m getting wiser with age, but instead of figuring out ways to continue the rhythm of my busy life, I am following Mother Nature and slowing down when she says to.
When was the last time you had a snow day? How did you spend it?
Ingredients:
2 cups of dried lentils (soaked for 4 hours)
3 cups of water
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped ¼ inch thick
3 celery stalks, chopped ¼ inch thick
½ bunch of fresh kale, chopped
1 teaspoons Mrs. Dash
2 teaspoons Vegizest (This is a great way to add flavor and nutrients to your soup. You can skip it, but I use mine a lot, as you can tell!)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except kale in large pot
Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally
Reduce to low heat and simmer until lentils are soft – approximately 30 minutes
Remove pot from flame and add kale. It will wilt quickly and then you are ready to serve.