A Hearty Meal for a Frosty Day

I randomly came upon this recipe of the month in an actor-y e-newsletter. We just had a blizzard, so a cozy stew sounded perfect. Seriously. Make this. It's hearty and delicious. It's starchy so keep your portions in check, but it's full of flavor, protein and fibery goodness.

Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
2 cans chickpeas (rinsed)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
½ cup diced celery
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large tomato diced
1 ½ quarts vegetable stock
¼ lb. dried green lentils
½ cup long grain brown rice
½ -1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (save some for garnish)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 2-3 lemons (plus a little zest for garnish)
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until the onions are translucent and the celery is tender. Add the ginger, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and about ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, the vegetable stock, lentils, and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook at a gentle simmer for ½ hour. Add the rice and season with a little more salt (about ½ teaspoon). Continue to simmer for another ½ hour. Add the cilantro, parsley, and lemon juice and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.
To serve, garnish with a little lemon zest and a bit of cilantro. Makes about 12 servings.

Tip:
Go crazy with the lemon juice and cilantro...it's what gives this soup its kick

I paired a nice cup of this with a big bowl of vitamin rich steamed greens dressed with a kiss of Earth Balance and some sea salt. Seriously, I am just a person who really loves vegetables. I am lucky. How does this not look appealing?!