If there’s anything to be learned at McGill, it’s that once midterm season hits, the last thing students want to do is cook for themselves. When faced with a full day of studying, even the prospect of making a sandwich to take to the library sounds taxing; it’s easy to rack up quite a bill at Subway, Quesada, and SNAX, trying to keep lunches as quick and as close to the library as possible. This recipe may look daunting, but give it a shot and it might actually save you time, and money.

This soup-verging-on-curry is stocked with cauliflower and sweet potato, and will fill you with enough energy to power through a long day of studying. It is hearty enough to sustain you—but more importantly, it keeps very well in the fridge, so you can whip up this soup on a Sunday night and eat it throughout the week. If you’re planning on bringing this soup to the library during weekdays, all you need to do is omit the spinach, then add it to each serving as you go—this prevents it from from getting soggy in the fridge. As you heat up the soup in the microwaves, the spinach should wilt perfectly. Better yet, this recipe is not only healthy, but it’s also vegan—a positive-sum game for both you, and the environment. Your mind and body will definitely thank you come November when you’ve swapped out burritos for this healthy, veggie-filled lunch. 

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

1 tbs of olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbs of ginger, minced

1 1/2 tbs of curry powder

1 tbs of ground coriander

1 tbs of cumin

6 cups of vegetable broth

1 cup of dry red lentils (rinsed)

1 medium cauliflower chopped into thumb-sized florets

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

2 cups of spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium. Add onions and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes.  

2. Add ginger, curry powder, cumin, and coriander, and stir for two minutes until fragrant.

3. Add the broth and lentils, and boil at medium heat until simmering.

4. Once simmering, add cauliflower and sweet potato. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Add spinach and stir until wilted

6. Serve, or seal in BPA-free containers.

Inspired by Oh She Glows