this post is sponsored by coombs family farms. thank you for supporting the partnerships that allow brewing happiness to grow and exist. xoxo.
A couple weeks ago I put up an instagram questionnaire about what you want to see in the coming months. I got SO MANY responses and I’m seriously giddy about starting to tackle some of your requests. My content calendar looks packed for this winter!
So I wanted to start off with one of the more popular requests – something cozy, hearty, and plant-based. So here is this soup. It’s like a cross between a curry and a stew. It’s got both savory and sweet elements thanks to Coombs Family Farms Pure Maple Syrup. It’s packed with protein-filled lentils, golden beets, carrots, onions, fresh ginger and turmeric, heirloom tomatoes and so much more!
The ginger and turmeric can hopefully help you stay well during this chilly season, while also providing and intense amount of flavor! I highly recommend eating this bowl of soup with some greek yogurt, golden raisins, cilantro and hot sauce on top. (But it’s also good as-is.) And the best part is that this soup just takes 40 minutes to make (including all of your veggie prep), and makes a ton of soup, so you can have it for lunch or dinner all week long.
If you’re a meat eater, feel free to throw some shrimp or chicken in there, although it is very filling on it’s own. There’s not a whole lot of need for extras, but you do you!
Here’s hoping your holidays were restorative, and you feel ready to jump back into life. If not, this cozy soup can comfort you. xo.
Other hearty soup recipes you’ll love: Lentil and Sweet Potato Vegetarian Chili + Meatless Black Eyed Pea Soup + Carrot-Noodle Vegetarian Ramen
Golden Lentil Curry Stew
This Golden Lentil Curry Stew is a hearty plant-based soup, packed with protein rich lentils, golden beets, carrots, tomatoes, and a delicious curry flavor!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp fresh turmeric, grated
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 4 golden beets, peeled and chopped
- 6 large carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 1 1/2 cups yellow and orange baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup Coombs Family Farms Pure Maple Syrup
- 4 cups (32 oz) vegetable stock
- 1 can (13.5 fl oz) coconut milk
- 2 cups dried green lentils
- 1 lime, juiced
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Optional toppings:
- golden raisins
- cilantro
- greek yogurt or sour cream
- hot sauce
Instructions
Begin by prepping ALL of your ingredients.
Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once the pot is hot, add garlic, ginger, turmeric, onion, curry powder, salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, or just until the onion begins to soften.
Add in chopped beets, carrot matchsticks, and halved baby tomatoes. Cook for another 2 minutes, tossing often.
After 2 minutes, add in lentils, vegetable broth, coconut milk, Coombs Family Farms Pure Maple Syrup and lime juice. Increase heat to high, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 25-30 minutes.
The soup is done when the lentils are soft but not mushy. Remove from heat, spoon into bowls, choose your optional toppings.
EAT UP.
It’s that time, the new year. As cheesy as it sounds, I love the feeling of a fresh start – the opportunity to reflect and gain some perspective. Obviously we have the ability to do this at any time, start again. But it always feels special this time of year – the chill in the air, the accumulation of time, the nostalgia of the holidays. It just feels right.
So I thought I’d take a minute just to reminisce on all of the things Brewing Happiness related that happened this year and talk a little about what I have planned for 2019. This year has been an intense work year for me, I’ve been growing and evolving and honestly, working tirelessly. I’ll look back on 2018 as a year of work, surrounded by a small group of people who I love intensely. It’s been exhausting and thrilling. It’s been exactly what I needed.
Here’s a little look back on all the exciting things that happened in 2018…
- Settled into my life and apartment in NYC.
- Shot videos for more bloggers and brands than ever before!
- Launched my DIY Food Videography Courses
- Created my own portfolio website
- Started my Intuitive Cooking series (which I plan to continue next year!)
- Went on a road trip through the south
- Bought a new camera and started to test out longer form videos and IGTV
- Traveled A TON (Denver, LA, Portland, Napa, Atlanta, and Boston) for work
- Shot one of the biggest projects I’ve ever taken on for a brand. (It’ hasn’t released yet, but I’ll let you know when it does!)
- Gotten to work with more of my favorite companies than ever before. Shout out to CookIt Media for making it all happen.
This year has been WILD, and hard and hopeful and exhausting and thrilling. I suppose this is what your mid 20’s are for. With all of this growth and excitement comes with a new need for restructuring. I am always a little hesitant to reveal my plans for Brewing Happiness, because it evolves so often (thanks to the internet), that the minute I say one thing is going to happen, I end up needing to find a new path. But I have spent a few months soul searching, working to find the heart of this site again, and strategizing how best to keep it in tact.
Alas, I think I have found some new priorities, and perhaps a structure that will allow me to achieve this. Right now it is just a plan, and January will reveal whether it can take shape or not. As always, I appreciate your feedback, suggestions, and engagement. You are all the reason I continue on this path, and you’re the reason I’ve been able to make art my career. I am forever thankful for that.
In 2019…
- There will only be 4 posts per month.
- The posts will go live on Sunday (I think.) There will be one Soul Food post, one Intuitive Cooking post, and two recipe posts based on your suggestions!
- Each post will come with VIDEO (some long form, some more personal, some recipe videos!)
- I am hoping to host 1-3 in-person workshops (probably one in NYC and one in LA or SF), to teach food videography and also a workshop for self-love! (The idea of planning these is intimidating, but hopefully I can make it happen!)
- I’ll be moving back to LA (more on that later.)
- I’ll be doing less sponsored posts on Brewing Happiness and more “ghost content” work for other bloggers and brands!
These are my idealistic hopes and dreams, but I think I can make all of this happen in one year. So please, keep sending me your thoughts, recipe requests, hopes, dreams, and hugs. I can use them all. xo.
Gimme yo thoughts 'n stuff...