Noodle Soup

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

1/2 onion, sliced

1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

1 thai chili, minced

1/2 tsp tumeric

1 tsp cumin

8 1/2 cups filtered water

4 vegetable bouillon cubes

1/4 pkg angel hair pasta

1 can cannelini beans

1 can black lentils

1 can chickpeas

2 cups frozen spinach

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

juice of half lime

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

creme fraiche, garnish

Directions

1. Heat the ghee in a large, thick-bottomed soup pot over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and the chili and cook until they soften, a few minutes.

3. Add the spices and cook for another thirty seconds, just long enough for them to toast a bit, then add water.

4. Bring to a boil and add the bouillon cubes.

5. Stir in the chickpeas, cannellini beans, and black lentils. Once the beans have heated throughout, season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Just before you're ready to eat, add the noodles and spinach to the simmering soup and cook until al dente.

7. Stir in cilantro.

8. Add a big squeeze of lime to the pot and serve with a dollop of creme fraiche.

I was really happy with how this soup turned out. When I saw the recipe on the 101 Cookbooks website I thought it looked amazing, so I thought I would try it out and make a few changes to my liking. Usually when I make soup I don't follow a recipe, but this is one soup that I think I will make over again and I will follow the recipe. Feel free to add whatever beans you like. I liked the combination I made because they all had a different texture and flavor to add. I think my favorite part was the angel hair pasta because it was so comforting. I highly recommend adding the creme fraiche because it adds a richness to the soup.

I have been using ghee instead of my usual oil now for cooking because it is a healthier alternative since it has a high smoke point. As soon as any fat reached its smoke point it begins to break down and create free radicals. I learned this from another food blog "My New Roots", which has great nutritional information since she is a certified nutritional practitioner. I either use coconut oil, which also has a high smoke point, or ghee from now on. I save my olive oil for dishes that are not being heated since it has a low smoke point. I highly suggest using ghee because it has a great nutty flavor. It's easy to make your own ghee out of your regular butter at home. The directions are on the "My New Roots" blog. I just buy mine at the Co-op.