Crockpot Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup with Curry and Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• T olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp. crushed ginger or ginger puree
• 2 tsp. garlic puree
• 1 T curry powder
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 1/2 cup red lentils
• 6 cups homemade chicken stock
• 1 can coconut milk
• Sea salt to taste
• Fat-free Greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving, optional

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil in a heavy frying pan. Stir in the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, just until it begins to soften. Add the ginger and garlic and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer this mixture into the crockpot.
2. Put the chopped sweet potato and red lentils into the crockpot. Pour 1 cup of the chicken stock into the frying pan, scraping up the flavorful bits from the bottom, then pour that into the crockpot with the remaining stock.
3. Set the crockpot to high and cook for 4 hours, until the lentils are beginning to break down and the sweet potato is extremely tender. If you prefer a smoother soup, mash it a bit or use an immersion blender at this stage; for more texture, leave it chunky.
4. Stir in 1 can light coconut milk and continue cooking for about 20 minutes. Add sea salt to taste, then ladle the soup while hot and top with fat-free Greek yogurt or light sour cream if you like.
5. For the stovetop version, warm the olive oil in a heavy soup pot. Cook the onions, ginger, garlic, and curry powder in the same way described for the crockpot method.
6. Add the chopped sweet potato, red lentils, and stock to the pot. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook until the lentils are beginning to fall apart and the sweet potatoes are very tender, about 1 hour. If you want a smoother texture, mash the soup or blend it with an immersion blender.
7. Pour in the coconut milk and keep the soup at the gentlest simmer for about 10 minutes, being careful that it does not boil once the coconut milk is in the pot.
8. Taste and season with sea salt, then serve the soup hot with a spoonful of fat-free Greek yogurt or light sour cream, if desired.