A comforting soup recipe to warm you up this winter

Chef Jane McClenaghan shares a heartening tomato and lentil soup recipe that can help “support your health and wellbeing” during the colder months

UK-based chef Jane McClenaghan knows all too well the impact nutrition can have on people living with Parkinson’s.

“My dad was diagnosed with the condition in 2016,” she says. “Although he already had a good diet, he has made a few adjustments to make sure he is getting optimum nutrition onto his plate.”

She explains how balanced eating can benefit people with the condition: “Although there is no specific diet for Parkinson’s, making sure you eat nutritiously can help support your health and wellbeing to boost energy, mood and sleep.”

Here, she shares a recipe for a flavourful tomato and red lentil soup packed with vegetables, herbs, protein and fibre to “add a pop of nutrition to your diet in a tasty way”.

Ingredients

1 dessert spoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 red chilli, finely chopped
100g red lentils
1 can of chopped tomatoes

500ml vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
Sea salt and black pepper

Method  

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan and cook the onion until softened.
• Add the celery, bay leaves and chilli and cook for 2–3 minutes with the lid on.
• Add the lentils, tinned tomatoes, stock and tomato puree and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 15–20 minutes until the lentils are cooked.
• Add the garlic.
• Take off the heat and blitz in your blender until smooth. Then, season with sea salt and black pepper.

Read more:

A simple summer recipe for people with Parkinson’s disease

Chris Cosentino: a winter warmer recipe for Parkinson’s disease