Carrot Lentil Pottage

Ease heartburn with smart cooking!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 2 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• 1 teaspoon cumin powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

• 4 large carrots, peeled and diced

• 1 medium sweet potato peeled, seeds removed, and diced

• 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed

• 6 cups vegetable broth or water

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh parsley and chopped pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add EVOO over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven.

2. Add the sliced leeks to the pot and sauté until they soften, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Stir in the coriander powder, cumin powder, and cardamom powder. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, allowing the spices to release their flavors.

4. Add the diced carrots, sweet potato, and lentils to the pot. Stir well to combine everything.

5. Pour in the vegetable broth or water and bring the mixture to a boil.

6. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for about 25-30 minutes or until the lentils and vegetables are tender.

7. Once the soup is cooked, use an immersion blender or transfer a portion of the soup to a blender (be careful as it will be hot) and blend until smooth. You can blend all of the soup for a smoother consistency or leave some chunks for texture.

8. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Serve the carrot lentil soup hot, garnished with your favorite seeds or nuts

Ease heartburn with smart cooking!

I developed this savory pottage recipe for a client suffering from chronic heartburn. She was in a food rut, sipping broths to soothe and heal her GI tract. She was interested in cooking techniques that would bring a variety of tastes and textures to her eating habits and overall enjoyment of her meals again. We talked through how to bring richness back into her cooking without using cream or any diary to easily support her digestion. Chronic heartburn can make digesting dietary fat challenging because it relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus. This reflux can hinder proper fat digestion and lead to discomfort.

In January 2022, it was estimated that around 20% of Americans experienced symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) at least once a week, and about 7% had daily symptoms. Chronic heartburn is a common symptom of GERD.

Get richness without fat in your soups, stews, and pottages by simply adding the following choices to your recipes an omit the cream and heavy fats:

USE kuzu for thickening,

puree overcooked rice,

roast onions, and

add any veggies or legumes like cannellini beans.

Soothe your stomach with these gentle techniques.