recipe virginity

It's true.

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but up until last week, I'd never created an original recipe. Sure, I'd tweaked and fiddled and doubled and halved, but never had I concocted something entirely on my own accord. In fact, it wasn't until both the Internet and my overstuffed shelf of cookbooks failed to yield a suitable substitute for my favorite restaurant soup that I (nervously) decided it was time to take the plunge.

I'm partial to the Spicy Red Lentil with Spinach soup at Hale and Hearty, a popular lunch spot here in New York. They offer sandwiches, salads, and a smorgasbord of soups. The choices vary from day to day, but for whatever reason, my pick isn't on the menu nearly as often as I'd like. I wanted a version I could make at home.

As it turns out, starting from scratch isn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be! This soup is rich and spicy and--dare I say it?--better than the original. Plus it makes a lot and freezes really well, so it's perfect to heat up for lunch on a rainy afternoon.

Spicy Lentil and Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups chopped peeled carrots
2 cups chopped celery
3 cups dry red lentils
8-10 cups vegetable broth (or a combination of vegetable broth and water)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup tomato sauce
1 large tomato, chopped
1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons honey
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, and sauté the onion until golden brown. Add the carrots and celery and sauté for another 10 minutes. Stir in garlic powder, cumin, ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, red pepper, basil, and coriander. Add broth and dried lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are tender.

2. Add tomato sauce, tomato, spinach, and honey, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.