Yesterday I went to my first day of school, for about the 30th time, and it was as good as ever, even if I was showing up in a minivan. I absolutely love fresh, clean, lined paper, new pens that flow smoothly over the page, and the slightly overwhelmed feeling I get when I look at an entire course outline and realize how much work I have to do in the next 3 months.
I also went to the doctor yesterday for my 30 week check up and saw him look baffled again. “WHAT is this baby doing?” is what he wonders aloud each time. From the get-go this little munchkin has not believed in curled-up, cozy, regular-baby positions. It spent a good number of weeks lying sideways, trying desparately to see through my skin to the outside world, and focusing all its (considerable) kicking energy on my upper right side. It has now migrated to have its head lodged in my right rib cage with legs fully extended so its toes can tickle my bladder, aka completely upside down to where he/she should be heading in preparation for eventual exit. Which means more frequent doctor visits from now on and more sweet-talking to my belly to convince it that I really don’t have the time or patience for anything other than an easy, natural birth :) I wish the previous two had thought to leave notes as to how being a fetus is supposed to be done.
Needless to say, all this makes sitting pretty impossible. YOU try sitting comfortably with a small person standing straight up in your insides. I spend the vast majority of my days standing, interspersed with a midday nap on the days I’m home, and reclined sitting in the evening while I do important things like blogging and cheering on Josh in MasterChef :) I am becoming a pro at the straight-backed squat, since cleaning up toys, taking your turn at cards, and putting on socks all pose interesting challenges when you are unable to bend at the middle.
When I have to spend a lot of time standing, I tend to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Standing in the middle of my living room or the bathroom always feels a bit odd.
And what better thing to do when standing in the kitchen than stir a big ol’ pot of soup?
I am not hanging on to summer with the desperation and defiance of many. I am already 128 steps into fall, and can’t wait for more days that just scream “SOUP”. That is a cry I will answer.
One of my favourite soups is this gorgeous carrot lentil number. It’s just jam-packed with healthy goodness, and can be whipped up in a mere half hour, or even a bit less! If you’ve never worked with lentils, I highly recommend it – they don’t require any special techniques or soaking, and are such a great source of fibre and folate. This soup is so quick to make – it barely leaves time to make these biscuits, or a batch of muffins, both of which are perfect accompaniments.
Soup has to be my favourite way to pack a ton of nutrients into my day, and the rich smell and colour of this soup just seal the deal. If you’re hanging on to summer, save this in the back of your mind…one day, when you hear the scream for “SOUP”, you will have a ready answer.
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 3-4 large carrots, sliced
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger root (or 1 tsp dried ginger)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- ¾ cup red lentils
- In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
- Cook carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, cumin, salt and pepper in the oil, stirring often, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add broth and lentils; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until carrots and lentils are tender (15 to 20 minutes).
- With an immersion blender or in batches in a blender or food processor, purée lentil mixture until smooth. Return to pan and heat through.
- Garnish with sour cream or yogurt and cilantro or parsley, if desired.
I am not a “bloggy” kind of girl but your site has me hooked! I just screenshot the FOURTH recipe that I making TODAY from you! The hominess of your site is GREAT!
Question about the lentil soup…why red lentils? I have brown lentils…is that ok?
Thank you so much for your comment! Brown lentils will be fine, they may need to cook longer and the colour won’t be as pretty but the taste is virtually the same :)
I made the carrot lentil soup. Very delicious. Recommend it to all. Didn’t like the smell of the soup in the kitchen when cooking it but the soup is very good.
I just made this soup for the first time ever. I made it a gluten free version so Erin can enjoy it too, but she may have to fight me for it. This is a seriously delicious soup and with so few ingredients…love it :) Would go great with your naan!
My husband absolutely loved this soup! I’m not a huge fan of lentils, or anything bean-ish, but I still enjoyed it as well. :)
Glad you liked it! I love how healthy I feel when I eat it…and the “bean” flavour is definitely mild in this one thanks to the cumin :)
Ouch! That sounds really uncomfortable. I will never complain about my pregnancy back pain again… :)
I’ve got this soup simmering on the stove right now. I only had heirloom carrots in the fridge, which made it really colourful until I blended it. Mmm… it smells amazing!
Pinned! This soup is begging to be made and enjoyed with a good book.
I don’t have children (don’t tell that to Niles, my cat), so whenever I hear someone talk about their pregnancy, I’m literally in awe. I used to be afraid of my pregnant friends, now I’m fascinated…to the point where they have to tell me to stop touching their bellies. :P
Good luck with everything! Maybe this one is a gymnast!
Hehehe, I love this comment, thanks Valerie!
What an absolutely gorgeous soup! I always love lentils and carrots — I’m bookmarking this one so I can try it once I get my hands on some carrots! :D
This is a great soup for welcoming fall. I love the color too!
Soups are one of my favorite things about fall!! Looks great.
Very interesting about the baby!
I hope your baby turns soon–that sounds incredibly uncomfortable! But at least you got some delicious soup out of it, right? I love lentil soup!
I’ve never thought about that kind of issue with pregnancy (haven’t had one yet)! Good luck! The soup sounds delicious.
I know where you are coming from with the “head in the ribs” dilemma! My 2nd was a c-section due to that problem. She was doing the splits in there, and never turned the right way. Soooo, with #3, I really payed attention to my posture and tried to relax so that there would be room for her to turn. Hands and knees can do it! I hope it all works out for you!
Oh dear do I ever know how you feel! I clearly remember saying “THIS is a head. In my ribs. Great… Also – bending is not just difficult, it is actually impossible!”
On the positive side, I’m living proof that external versions CAN be successful! Make sure you explore all of your options :)
Miss you, and can’t wait to “meet” your newest bundle!
PS. One day I’ll have the ingredients that I need to make some of your yummy recipes… If only I had your love of grocery shopping!
Surprisingly I haven’t made my own lentil soup before, even though I know it’s delicious… I have made carrot soup though and love it, so I can only imagine how much I would love the combination of the two together! Will definitely save this to try for when I’m ready for soup :)
So exciting that you are so close to having a new baby! I love soup especially lentils. Yum!
Ha! I love that your little gymnast has you on your feet a bit more, if it means we get lots of great recipes from you! =) For real, though, hope he/she turns to a more comfy-for-you position soon. This soup looks amazing, by the way – i love love love soups like this. =)
You’re a Josh fan hey? I’m betting on Becky. Love MasterChef! And apparently washing the floor on your hands and knees is the answer to getting baby head down. Maybe it works, I did it on a regular basis while I was pregnant with Grayson and he went the right way, whereas Pierce stayed stuck with his head in my ribs. But who really wants to wash the floor on their hands and knees?
Hmm, I’ll have to decide if I’m willing to give that a try :) I’d be willing if it guaranteed baby-flipping for sure! And Josh is MasterChef all the way :)