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Honestly, it’s pretty easy to make a Meatless Monday night out of a can of soup and a hunk of bread. Chances are that if you’re not a cook but you like to go meatless, you’ve done this a time or a million. Especially on the frigid days of mid-January. Making soup from scratch is often considered a bit laborious. You’ve got to simmer this, boil that and puree, puree, puree.

But this Meatless Monday entry is a bit different. It takes a lot of the work out of the equation by using ready-made vegetable broth and coconut milk as a base. Add the veggies and lentils and simmer. It only takes about 35 minutes to get it ready once everything is in the pot, just enough time to make a side salad and cut up a crusty baguette. Plus, it serves six, so there should be plenty left over to enjoy later in the week.

Indian Red Lentil Soup

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cup red lentils

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup light coconut milk

Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

1 1/2 cups shredded kale

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Heat a saucepot over medium heat until hot. Add cumin and toast 1 minute or until aromatic. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown and stick to the pot, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Add lentils, broth, 2 cups water, coconut milk and lemon juice; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 to 35 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in kale and salt.

(Recipe from www.wholefoodsmarket.com)