Soup.
If you are a regular reader, you may have wondered why I have not posted at my regular time! I have spent most of the day in bed today – nursing my poorly tooth and trying to sleep! Soup, so it seems, is one of the only things I can manage to eat! I had this soup made for me earlier in the week and I have been using it to nourish myself.
The Soup Recipe
This soup is a variation on my lentil soup, with a few extra ingredients. Of course, lentils provide a good amount of protein, and the addition of chickpeas ups the protein further. As soup has been my main food source for almost a week, getting enough protein was important, so adding bulghur wheat to this soup pushes the protein higher. Other ingredients include garlic, Cajun spice, chilli flakes, seasoning and of course, water.
A protein packed soup using lentils, chickpeas and bulghur.
- 150 g red split lentils (washed well)
- 1-2 litres boiling water
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon cajun spice
- 1/4 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt to taste
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas (drained, use the liquid for something else)
- 100 g bulghur wheat (with added vermicelli if you can get it)
Make sure the lentils are washed really really well, then place in a large heavy saucepan with the water, garlic, Cajun, chilli, pepper and salt (if using). Put a lid on the pan and cook on a medium heat for 30 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and the bulghur wheat, check the water content (and add more if needed) and cook on a low heat for a further 15 minutes.
Do a taste check and adjust seasonings and spices if necessary. Ensure the soup is thick but still has some fluidity to it.
Serve & enjoy!
What do I need?
Ideally you want to have a heavy large lidded saucepan for this soup, but if you only have a regular saucepan, use the largest you have and find something to cover it with.
If you are new to cooking or your kitchen needs a refresh, here are a few useful things for this recipe. I receive a small commission if you click and purchase through these links (this is at no additional cost to you)!
Serving
You can serve this soup just as it is, or you can add some tasty bread or garlic bread on the side. Serve a small bowl as a starter, or serve a bigger bowl as a filling main.
Storage
This will store in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. If freezing, portion or separate into silicon bags, label and freeze.
Sharing
I hope you make this protein packed soup and see how delicious it is. I love seeing your adaptions and interpretations of my recipes and I’d love to see your soup photos! Please share and tag me @LifeDietHealth or using #LifeDietHealth on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.
What do you eat when you are poorly? Do you have any tips for dealing with tooth pain? Thank you!
Leave me a comment below… I love to chat!
I hope to speak with you soon
Laurena x
Oh no, hope your tooth pain subsides soon, Laurena😘 Your lovely soup here reminds me of the ‘Louvana’ variation which I like making during winter. I like your addition of chickpeas and the Cajun spice. Growing up, Mum never added any spices (not even black pepper) as Greek Cypriots aren’t that big on spices, unlike their Turkish Cypriots, it would appear lol. We always ate this kind of red or yellow splitpea soup with breadsticks (mostly those Italian Grissini ones, funnily enough) and black wrinkly olives🙂
Oh my Gosh Eva you can’t imagine the pain my tooth has given me – radiating to my jaw, ear and even my throat and nose. I am not really one to take medicine but the pain was unbearable I was literally popping pills what seemed like all day! Unfortunately I have to wait a whole week before the dentist can (or will!) see me again! Yesterday we had potato soup – with potatoes out of the garden! and there was another lentil soup inbetween. Thankfully I can now eat a bit more than just soup… like custard lol! I never thought of eating breadsticks with soup though and definitely not without black pepper!
Aww, I feel so helpless- your pain sounds horrendous 😔
No, I can’t eat anything without black pepper, even jam on toast or porridge/Weetabix😋
Get well soon x
WHAT!!! OMGosh Eva and I thought I had freshly ground black pepper on everything! Porridge???? (Thank you x)