Root Vegetable Lentil Stew with Kale

I can't believe today is the first day of fall. It seems like just yesterday I was watching fireworks on the fourth of July.  I guess I need to accept the fact that it's just going to get colder from here on out, so I might as well make the best of it. Fall calls for soup, of course! I make lentil soup all the time. Yep, even in the summer. I probably have fifty different versions of lentil soup using various types of lentils and vegetables and you know what? I love them all. Lentils are so satisfying and nourishing.

Fall is also the time to eat root vegetables. These sweet, nutrient-dense vegetables are what our bodies crave during the cooler weather. Root vegetables absorb and store insane amounts of minerals and other nutrients through the soil in which they grow (all the more important to buy organic). They're high in vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and complex carbohydrates. In traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, they're considered "warming" foods that nourish the body. Paired with warming spices, like the ginger and cardamom in this stew, root vegetables are incredibly comforting on chilly days.

As I currently write this post, it's pouring outside. It's cold and cloudy and pretty miserable, really. But I've got a batch of root vegetables roasting in the oven smelling delicious. And I've got some gorgeous winter squash sitting on my countertop just waiting to be made into some delicious meals. A variation of this soup will be one of them, for sure.

The recipe for this root vegetable and lentil stew is the part of my contribution (see my first contribution here) to the fitness and healthy lifestyle website called Life by DailyBurn. Check out this recipe, plus many more over on their site. You certainly won't be disappointed.

Recipe: Root Vegetable Red Lentil Stew with Kale

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