Curry Lentil Soup

It's Sunday! In our house, that means church and soup. I love to dig around my pantry and see what I can create. To me, there's something therapeutic about chopping veggies and stirring them in a big pot. And as long as you cook it long enough, soup is one of those dishes that you can't really screw up!The recipe below is one of my favorites. I love the versatility, taste and health benefits of lentils. Like other beans, they're are a good source of iron, protein, fiber and potassium. Lentils soften up sooner than other bagged dried beans, but you can also find them steamed and ready to use at Trader Joes.If you don't have fresh ginger on hand (I don't), try minced "squeeze" ginger. It's ridiculously convenient and keeps a long time. To make the dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. Greek yogurt can be used to boost protein content, or left out to make the dish vegan.Ingredients• 1 tablespoon canola oil• 1 large onion,chopped• 3 cloves garlic,minced• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder• 1 teaspoon cinnamon• 1 teaspoon ground cumin• 2 bay leaves• 1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over• 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste• 1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurtDirections:1. Heat oil in a heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, jalapeno, curry powder, cinnamon, cumin and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes longer.2. Stir in lentils and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.3. Discard bay leaves. Stir in cilantro (or parsley), lemon juice and chutney. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with yogurt.Makes 8 (1 cup) servings. Per serving: 268 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 16 g fiber; 332 mg sodium; 549 mg potassium.