Red Lentil Soup with Curry and Coconut • 11 Scrump-Dilly Dip

Chef Wendell Fowler enjoying his red lentil soup with curry and coconut.

A HEALTHY TWIST

Chef Wendell Fowler, host of WISH-TV Channel 8’s Eat Right Now! and author of several books, including the cookbook The Dawning of the Age of Asparagus, has what some might consider some unusual holiday food traditions.

After a massive heart attack at age 40, he found his life’s mission and devoted himself to healthy living and teaching others about nutrition. For him that meant becoming a vegan and dabbling in rawism.

“Fifteen years ago people laughed at me when I mentioned the word organic,” says Fowler, who is all about fresh, locally sourced, organically grown food, “but what we put in this temple [our body] we have to evaluate.”

It also meant reimagining holiday delights into forms that he was willing to eat.

“Christmastime is always fun,” he says. He enjoys quinoa, which he often turns into a pilaf. He likes tempeh, a traditional soy product originally from Indonesia, as a protein source. He makes his own version of eggnog out of coconut milk, and he calls his lentil coconut curry soup “a beautiful soup for a beautiful winter evening.”

As sweets are a must for the holidays¬, he makes a chocolate fudge out of avocado.

Fowler admits the holidays might tempt him into cheating a bit and eating something not on his approved list. “I’m as human as the next person,” he says, “but if I do cheat, the next day I atone.”

His bad food hangover cure is a vegetable smoothie.

This self-professed evangelist of food adores having his grandchildren over for a celebratory meal, but he admits one more thing: “I’ve got to get creative with the grandkids. Sometimes I feed them and then tell them what was in it.”

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH CURRY AND COCONUT

Recipe courtesy of Chef Wendell Fowler

For a healthy holiday meal to warm the heart and the body, try this savory soup.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 tablespoons raw, virgin unrefined coconut oil (divided use) 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped 4 cups water 1 cup red lentils, washed and rinsed 3 medium carrots, roughly chopped 1 14-ounce can coconut milk 1 bay leaf 3 garlic cloves, minced 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated 1 tablespoon curry powder ½ cup chopped cilantro Sea salt to taste

1. In a medium noncorrosive saucepan over low heat, warm 1½ tablespoons of the coconut oil; add the onions, cook and stir for 1 minute. 2. Add 4 cups filtered water, lentils, carrots, coconut milk, salt and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a low simmer. Cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons of oil over low heat. Add garlic, ginger, curry and half the cilantro. Gently cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add to soup. 4. Remove bay leaf. If desired, in a food processor or blender, puree in batches until velvety smooth. (Photos show the soup unprocessed)

Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot, and garnish with remaining cilantro.