The Florida Citrus challenge is now underway. Join us as two UrbanMoms writers battle for the title of top Citrus Chef. Starting with an appetizer, then main and ending with a dessert our Chef will showcase three fabulous recipes featuring Florida Citrus
products. Your job is simple: check in each week and read both Cayla’s and Carol’s recipe reviews, compare the pictures, and then let us know who’s dish looked best by voting! We will be giving away (?)
each week for three weeks! To enter the contest you must also comment below and share the daily things that you do to feel better.

Click here for contest Rules and Regulations. 

This week’s recipe is: Hearty Lentil Orange Soup

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

10 mL (2 tsp) canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
10 mL (2 tsp) chili powder
5 mL (1 tsp) ground cumin
500 mL (2 cups) red lentils
750 mL (3 cups) 100% pure Florida orange juice
875 mL (3 1/2 cups) sodium-reduced vegetable stock
75 mL (1/3 cup) low-fat plain yogurt

Directions

1. In a soup pot, heat oil over medium heat and cook onion, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder and cumin for 5 minutes or until softened. Add lentils and stir to coat well for 1 minute.
2. Add orange juice and 500 mL (2 cups) of the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in remaining stock and heat through.
3. Serve in shallow soup bowls with a dollop of yogurt.

Tip: For a smooth soup, puree the soup in batches in a blender and heat through.

Nutritional information per serving
250 mL (1 cup) per serving

Calories: 243
Protein: 15 g
Total fat: 2 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Carbohydrate: 43 g
Fibre: 7 g
Sodium: 220 mg
Potassium: 760 mg

Recipe provided courtesy of the Florida Department of Citrus.

See what our Chef #1, Cayla of The Urban Kitchen, had to say:

When I told my family I was trying a new soup recipe, it didn’t phase them since I am forever experimenting with new soup recipes.  My kids and husband tend to be meat-and-potato lovers so I often use the appetizer course to squeeze in the fruits and veggies; we have soup, salad, or veggies and dip every night.  And since it is also a priority for me to feed my family local and seasonal ingredients, as the weather becomes cooler, we find ourselves eating soup more often than not.

Making this soup was super-easy and super-fast; I can honestly say that I got the whole thing prepared in the 15 minutes I was home between picking my son up from school and dropping my daughter off at trampoline.  By the time I got home 30 minutes later, it was simmered to doneness (and made the house smell amazing in the process). While the lentils mostly melted away, I chose to blend it so it was completely smooth, one of the tips from Florida Citrus.

I served the soup along with homemade cheese pizza; together the two made up a balanced meal for our Meatless Monday meal.  As part of an effort to become healthier and environmentally aware, we are choosing to eat more fruits and veggies and less meat.  I have to say, though, there was more leftover pizza than I anticipated, not only because the soup was so good, but also because it was so hearty and filling.

When I was serving the soup, my daughter was a little wary of dollop of yogurt so I left it off hers.  I have to say though, that was one part of the soup I personally liked best: the cool creaminess of the yogurt balanced out the rich flavours of the lentils and cumin in the soup. 

I wasn’t the only one who liked the soup; everyone in my family enjoyed it and had this to say:

Maya: It tastes like oranges and I like oranges.  Also, it’s not chunky so that’s good.

Billy:  I’m not sure what it tastes like or why I like it but my mouth just wants to eat more.

Husband: Its good.  And hearty.  (he’s a man of few words)

Overall, the soup was a success.  It was fast, easy, healthy, and yummy.  And while it doesn’t contain local ingredients, I know that Florida Orange juice is always in season and always amazing so I feel good about cooking with it any time of the year.

See what our Chef #2, Carol from the UrbanMoms office, had to say:

As the cold days of winter settle upon us there is nothing more delicious than a warm cup of soup. For lunch or dinner, soup makes a fantastic addition to any meal. Not only is soup comforting it is also healthy for you too.  At this time of year especially after the holidays I try to incorporate as many fruits and vegetables into my family’s diet. This can be challenging as winter does limit the amount of fresh produce available.  So I’m always excited to find a recipe that is packed full of easy to find ingredients that are both healthy and delicious. The Hearty Lentil Orange Soup recipe sent to us from the Florida Department of Citrus is a great combination of both these elements.

The Hearty Lentil Orange Soup was such an easy and simple recipe to prepare. I was quite intrigued by this recipe as I’ve made quite a few split pea soups in my days but have never tried red lentils. The other surprising element in this soup was the addition of orange juice. I couldn’t wait to see how these flavours came together.  I am happy to report that this soup did not disappoint. The best way to describe the taste is zippy and hearty. The citrus flavour enlivens the soup and ads a burst of flavour to each bite.  The verdict was unanimous the whole family felt the same way about the soup; they found the pureed texture very appealing and enjoyed the interesting combination of spices and orange juice.

Husband: Love the taste of delicious spices combination and dollop of yogurt.

Rachel: I love soup and this one is so yummy.

Nicky: My favourite part is dipping the cracker in the soup. Orange and crackers taste so good together!

I make it a priority to serve my family foods that are both great tasting and good for us. The daily choices that I make as a mom do impact the health and wellness and my family.  These small choices really add up. During the winter months it’s so easy to hide away inside our warm and cozy homes. So why not get outside and make a snowman with your kids, or go tobogganing, both activities are so much fun. Also try new recipes that combine interesting flavours and pack a great healthy punch.