BY KCY

We all have those meals that evoke comfort. My Turkish father was a huge lentil consumer. Turkey, after all, is one of the major producers of lentils. Almost every restaurant in Turkey has lentil soup on the menu. Lentils are an excellent source of protein and can keep you going all day long. They were one of my father’s “power foods” for the many years he ran ultramarathons.

The lentil encompasses the memory of growing up with my father and mother in the Bronx, especially his races. It feels like home to me. What are the foods that make YOU feel at home?

Mommy’s Recipe for Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils

3 cups water

1 carrot cut in chunks

½ yellow onion

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Salt to taste

Directions:

Add lentils, water, carrot, onion, bay leaf, garlic and nutmeg in a pot and set over medium heat. Stir. Increase the heat to high. Bring to just a boil and then decrease the heat to low. Cover partially and cook at low heat for about 35 minutes until the lentils are tender. Add additional water as it dissipates.

Use an immersion blender or food processor to smooth if further desired.