A hearty, soothing bowl of soup is one of life’s best comfort food meals. We can’t help but swoon over this one made with fiber-filled lentils and fresh vegetables. Our nutritious recipe for Creamy Tomato Lentil, Spinach, and Potato Soup comes together quickly if you have a slow cooker or Instant Pot. This soup has prebiotic fiber, magnesium from lentils and spinach, vitamin C and potassium from potatoes and spinach, and antioxidants from spices and all the veggies. Prepared with our creamy Grassfed Whole Milk Organic Kefir that’s also a good source of prebiotic fiber, plus our signature probiotic cultures, this improves digestion and supports gut health all in one. It also makes the soup ultra-creamy and satisfying. We hope you love this hearty bowl as much as we do, all made healthier with Lifeway!
Cultured Dairy: The Nutrition Benefits You Need to Know
With increasing research linking the correlation between probiotics, gut health, and immunity, it’s no secret that the integrity of our gut is vital to our health. Although additional factors such as stress, antibiotic usage, and individual health conditions can contribute to the condition of our gut, a focus on healthy food choices is one of the easiest ways to support the microbiome.
Several studies have shown a strong association between the gut-brain-microbiota. Probiotics introduced to the gut have been found to support immunity, improve allergies, and improve digestion.
Studies have shown that reduced diversity of healthy gut bacteria during early years is associated with an increase in food allergies during school-age years. In addition, kefir made from whole milk helps absorb key nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin K is important because it helps your bones absorb calcium. It’s important to know that kefir contains a special trio: vitamin D, K, and calcium – all three crucial elements to support bone health.
Ingredients
- 2 cans no-salt-added fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 4 Yukon-gold potatoes, chopped up into 1-inch cubes
- 1/8 tsp. sea salt
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 fresh garlic clove, diced finely
- 1/2 a white or yellow onion, diced finely
- 2 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth (or low-sodium veggie broth)
- 2 cups loose-leaf spinach
- 1 cup Plain Grassfed Kefir
- Juice of a fresh lemon
- Garnish ideas: fresh basil leaves, fresh tomatoes, or whatever else you like.
Directions
- Add all the ingredients except the fresh spinach, Lifeway Kefir, and lemon juice into a slow-cooker or Instant Pot and cook for 2-3 hours on high in a slow-cooker or 2-3 hours in an Instant Pot on the slow-cook mode for the best flavor (not the pressure-cooking mode).
- Add the fresh spinach and Lifeway Kefir, then cook for 30 more minutes.
- Add the juice of a lemon to help bring out the flavors, then garnish with a few fresh basil leaves or some fresh tomatoes.
- Enjoy!
