Nourish to Flourish is a mantra I live by.

When you nourish your imagination, spirit, and body, you’re giving yourself what you need to feel good and remain healthy. From cooking simple + clean meals to waking up early to soak in the magical sunrise, I do everything I can to take full advantage of each day.  

One of the best ways to manage through the chaos of day-to-day living is to anchor yourself in routine. Meal prep is a practice I’ve made a priority for years. Each Sunday, I spend an hour or so making lunch for the week. Typically, it’s a veggie soup — a healthy way to ensure that I actually eat lunch because it’s quick & easy to warm up in between #careertalk, and its nutrients will cultivate energy for the remainder of the day.

With that, I wanted to share one of my all-time favorite soup recipes. This recipe is originally from Robyn Youkilis — her cookbook, Go with your Gut is fantastic! Below is a slightly modified recipe — I hope you love it as much as I do! 

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne
• 6 cups water with vegetable bullion
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat a dash of oil over high heat until hot. 
2. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden. 
3. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder or cayenne. Sauté for 2 minutes longer.
4. Add water with vegetable bullion, lentils, and carrot.
5. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover the pot and turn heat to medium-low. 
6. Simmer until lentils are soft (about 30 minutes).  
7. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to your liking.
8. Add the juice of 1 lemon and chopped herbs. 
9. Serve soup with a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
10. For added nutrients, I love to add a poached egg or wild rice.

Making the time to plan + prepare your weekly meals is an easy (and fun!) way to care for yourself and your family. Not to mention, it saves money and time and minimizes unnecessary stress around mealtime. Ultimately, it allows for a happier, more well-rounded you!  Your family, your friends, and your colleagues will love you for it. You will love you for it! 

For more of my favorite recipes and clean eating hacks, connect with me on Instagram @flourish.careers