Recipes: Kabocha Squash & Red Lentil Soup

Posted by Claire Ragozzino

A few months ago, right around the time I was launching my new website and leading two big retreats in the span of 6 weeks, I wasn’t sleeping well and my health was suffering. I would wake up everyday, look in the mirror and verbally lament over how “drained, dried up, and lackluster” I felt. I would tell friends how wiped out I was, how I felt like I lost my juiciness (ojas) admist all my poorly managed stress…and every morning I’d wake up again feeling and looking the same.

Words have weight just as much as actions do. You can see it in Masuru Emoto’s water crystal study, or Danielle LaPorte’s apple experiment. Essentially in both of these studies, and many more out there, when negative words are spoken to the subject, the outcome is shockingly similar to the words – disharmonious, unappealing, and fragmented. So when I kept affirming to myself and the world how terrible I felt last summer, it wasn’t really a surprise that was my experience. It took shifting my language to begin to shift my habits and come back into alignment with my most authentic health. Sometimes, it’s as little as making a comment about our jeans not fitting as good as they used to…or shrugging off a compliment to compare yourself to another. We create our reality. Why not create what we truly desire instead of what we do not?

As you continue into the new year, take time to craft an affirmation that represents what you truly want to feel. Watch your words wisely, knowing the weight of even a simple self-deprecating sentence could mean more impact than joyfully savoring each bite of a holiday dessert. And if you need more guidance on creating healthy habits of body and mind, email me claire@vidyaliving.com to learn more about my 3-Month Inner Wisdom Coaching programs. I’d love to work with you one-on-one to create a personalized wellness plan and support to bring you back into your most vibrant health.

This soup represents vitality and total nourishment to me, and on my busiest days it’s one I can put in the slow-cooker in the morning and have a glorious lunch ready by noon. I used to undervalue the power of a good soup and would steer away from cooking them whenever I was in the kitchen. Perhaps it was too many bland soup experiences as a kid, or this notion that I could never be satiated by just a bowl of liquid, or that its preparation was too time consuming and complicated. It wasn’t I acquired this clay pot slow cooker and tossed my soup inhibitions out the window, did I start experimenting with some knockout recipes. This flavorful winter soup is inspired by a dear friend of mine, Angela de la Agua and her magical creation we shared one night in the desert in Joshua Tree. It borders being a stew in how rich it is with flavor and texture. With red lentils and winter squash, it provides the right balance of macronutrients with medicinal spices to satisfy any cold weather craving or sick day soup need.

KABOCHA SQUASH & RED LENTIL SOUP

1 small kabocha squash, seeded & cubed
1 small sweet potato, cubed
1 cup split red lentils
1/4 small yellow onion, chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tamari
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
6-8 cups water
2 tbsp white miso paste

Combine all ingredients, except the miso paste, in a slow cooker. I use this clay pot slow cooker to make my soups and stews. Depending on the setting of your slow cooker, cook for 1-3 hours until tender and well-cooked. Continue adding water as needed for a soupy consistency. When finished, stir in the miso paste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve with chopped cilantro, sprouts or greens of your choice on top.

Note: If cooking this on a stovetop instead, lightly heat the pan with olive oil and sauté the onions, garlic and ginger on medium heat 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Combine remaining ingredients, except the miso, and cover to cook for 40-50 minutes. Stir in the miso paste at the end and season with salt & pepper if desired.

Makes 4 hearty servings