Quick and Easy "Stone Soup" Recipe of the Week - Curried Tomato Soup with Lentils and Spinach

Curried Tomato Soup with Lentils and SpinachThis past summer, I was inspired to start a collection of quick and easy "stone soup" recipes after I saw an article called The kids are all right, but what about the elderly.  The article talked about the growing trend of seniors who stop cooking for themselves, and end up buying processed foods for their meals.  Often, seniors live alone, lose interest in cooking, or just aren't well enough to cook for themselves.  With more seniors choosing to "stay put" in their community, being able to eat healthy meals as they age in place can become challenging.

This article has spurred several people to action, including one senior who holds a pot luck with friends from her hair salon.  Everyone brings containers so they can bring leftovers home.  What a great idea!  

After reading this article, I emailed our local senior community center director and we discussed a similar idea, perhaps gathering a group of seniors for "stone soup" day, where seniors share their favorite recipes, contribute some of the ingredients, and then bring home a variety of hearty soups during the winter.  

With that in mind, I'm hoping to come up with some quick and easy soup recipes that can be used for "stone soup" day.  Here's my first quick and easy "stone soup" recipe that only takes a few minutes to put together.

(Note: I've entered this recipe in Pacific Natural Food's Everyday Chef Challenge. Please vote for me if you like it. Voting ends October 5, 2010.)

Quick and Easy Curried Tomato Soup with Lentils and Spinach
Read the ingredient list on store-bought soups to ensure the least amount of additives, salt and sugar; organic is best.

1 box (1 quart) Creamy Tomato Soup 
1 1/2 cups cooked lentils (Trader Joe's sells packaged pre-cooked Black Beluga Lentils)
1-2 teaspoons curry powder (use more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
3 cups baby spinach

Place soup, lentils and curry powder in a soup pot.  Cook over medium heat until hot.  Stir in baby spinach and turn off heat.  Serve.

Option:  Stir in some cooked brown rice along with the soup, lentils and curry powder for an even heartier soup.



Fully cooked lentils are convenientI would love to hear from you if you have any quick and easy nutritious recipes to add to the "stone soup" collection.  Also, please feel free to share any stories you have on how to get seniors cooking in your community. Just leave a comment below.


More Tomato Soup Recipes:
Fat Free Vegan's Tomato Soup with Roasted Garlic and Seasonal Herbs
My French Cuisine's Cream of Tomato Soup with Cumin and Greek Yogurt
Vegan Lunch Box by Jennifer McCann: Vegan Roasted Tomato Basil Soup


Aging in Place Services for Seniors:
Harvard Magazine: Aging Gracefully at Home
Staying Put in New Canaan


Anticancer Ingredients: Lentils, Tomatoes, Spinach, Curcumin (in curry powder)