Red Lentil Mulligatawny with Apple-Celery Salsa

Salsa:

• 2/3 cup finely chopped Granny Smith apple
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery

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• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Soup:

• 3 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup dried small red lentils
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To prepare salsa, combine the first 4 ingredients; cover and chill.

To prepare soup, combine broth, lentils, and onion in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until lentils are tender. Pour half of lentil mixture in a blender; let stand 5 minutes. Process until smooth. Pour pureed lentil mixture into a bowl. Pour remaining lentil mixture into blender; process until smooth. Add coconut milk, tomato paste, ginger, cumin, and turmeric; process until smooth. Return coconut milk mixture and remaining pureed lentil mixture to pan. Cover and simmer over medium heat 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon juice, salt, and pepper. Ladle about 1 cup soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with 1/4 cup salsa.

Serves 4 (1 c. soup, 1/4 c. salsa); 280 calories.

VERDICT: This is fine, but a little runnier than I like my soup. And the celery in the salsa seemed a bit strange. Toss.