Preparation 10 minutes Cooking 60 minutes 2 teaspoons olive oil. 1 medium onion, chopped. 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed. 2 cups brown lentils, washed and picked over. 7 cups water. 1 bay leaf. salt to taste. 1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt. 3 ounces ( about 1/3 cup) goat cheese. freshly ground pepper to taste. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot ovver medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it has softened, 3 to 5 minutes, then add 2 of the garlic cloves and stir together. Add the lentils, water and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and salt to taste (1 teaspoon or more). Cover and simmer another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, blend the yogurt and the goat cheese until smooth, either by hand using a fork or in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Remove the soup from the heat, and take out the bay leaf. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or with a hand blender. Return to the pot, add pepper, and adjust salt to taste. Heat through gently, and stir in the parsley. Serve, topping each bowl with a generous dollop of yogurt and goat cheese mixture for diners to stir into the soup. Serves 5. Per serving: Calories 362 (19% from fat), Fat 8 g (4g saturated), Cholesterol 14 mg, Sodium 109 mg Recipes by Martha Rose Shulman. Nutrient data are given to help healthy individuals select meals that are low in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium. |