Coconut Cabbage Lentil Soup with Sweet Potato and Cilantro

Call me crazy, but I have been craving cabbage lately!  I have been eyeing it up at produce junction for weeks now, and finally decided to buy a few heads to use in soup.  While it isn’t the most glamorous vegetable, it happens to be a powerhouse of important nutrients and disease-fighting superpowers.

Superpowers?!  Tell me more!

Here are some health benefits about this superfood that you may not have known:

  • Fiber: Cabbage is a stomach’s best friend. Like its trendier cousins brussel sprouts, broccoli, and kale, cabbage is an amazing source of fiber. Raw cabbage has also been shown to help cure stomach ulcers  .
  • Antioxidants: Red cabbage is chock full of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant commonly found in blue, purple, and red plants  . Studies show antioxidants can reduce inflammation, provide cancer protection, and boost brain function.
  • Lowers cholesterol: Look to this superfood for a natural and effective cholesterol reducer. Cabbage prevents bile from absorbing fat after a meal, which lowers the overall amount of cholesterol in the body  .
  • Glucosinolates: Cabbage contains sulfur-based compounds called glucosinolates that have anti-carcinogenic properties  . In the body, glucosinolates become compounds called isothiocyanates, which some studies suggest inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

When it comes to cabbage I typically consume it in the form of sauerkraut, mainly because I’m German and that stuff is delicious!!  I also have a penchant for anything sour…pickles are my weakness 

This time I decided to try using cabbage in a different way….in soup!  As you may have noticed with my posts lately, I’m officially in soup mode.  As the temperatures begin to drop I start keeping my soup pot filled to the brim with nutrient-packed goodness that will help to keep my immune system boosted and my heart warm all winter long 

This particular soup is awesome because it has a creamy coconut based broth with just a hint of heat from the sriracha.  Those flavors are perfectly balanced by ginger, lime, and cilantro, making for a symphony of flavors that will having you running back for seconds.

I also love this recipe because it includes sweet potato!  Unfortunately I have a love hate relationship with sweet potatoes, meaning I wish I could love them, but I hate them.  I’m really not one for sweet foods, so I’m always looking for recipes that are savory enough to balance out their natural flavor.  This my friends, is a WINNER! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 cups water
  • 1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups sweet potato, cubed, peeled if desire (I left the skin on)
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 3 Tbsp tamari sauce
  • 1 Tbsp sriracha
  • 6 cups cabbage, chopped
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 lime, juiced

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. To a large pot combine water, red lentils, sweet potato, tamari and sriracha. Raise heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and place lid slightly ajar. Cook until the lentils and sweet potato are almost tender, around 20-25 minutes.
  2. Stir in the cabbage, cover and simmer, cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened.
  3. Stir in the cilantro, coconut milk and lime juice. Remove from heat.
EntreesAlicia Uhl