Derval O'Rourke: warm, cosy tomato and red lentil soup

It's six weeks to Christmas, so time to focus on how to feel your best selves

Tomato and lentil soup is the ultimate winter warmer. 

It’s exactly six weeks until Christmas: this week's column is all about finding your sparkle this festive season. And here's a lovely lentil soup to keep you warm and cosy.

With Christmas fast approaching, now is a great time to focus on simple things you can do that will help you feel your best self this festive season. My online community continuously reminds me of the ways that help us to feel connected and our best selves. Here are six ways to feel great:

Walk and Talk

I have started an initiative with my Derval.ie community that encourages people to meet up for 60 minutes to simply walk and talk. Walking will release the feel-good hormone, serotonin, and what better way to spend a walk than talking to like-minded people? Try to find 60 minutes a day to walk and talk.

Food for the soul

This time of year can be a strange one when it comes to food and, for many people, it can swing from overindulging to restricting what they eat. Consider your week as a whole and enjoy your food, there is a huge social aspect to this time of year and eating with family and friends is something that definitely feeds my soul.

Movement to feel good

Rather than dropping all your exercise in the lead-up to Christmas try to focus on scheduling exercise each week that will make you feel good and add to your week. 30 minutes a few times a week will really help you feel great. An activity action plan is really helpful at this time of year.

Stay hydrated

It’s so easy to get dehydrated and even a little dehydration is really detrimental to feeling good. Start your day with a glass of water. If you're drinking alcohol try to drink water in between drinks and drink water before you go to bed.

Being, not doing

I won’t lie, I’m a doer. I like to rush and race but I know that I need to slow down and be in moments. In the lead-up to Christmas, this is really important to me. I try to spend 10 minutes each day just being, sitting there on my own breathing and being present.

Give more than you expect to receive

I’m not talking about elaborate gifts. I’m talking about your time, giving someone your time is the greatest gift of all. Whether that is helping a friend who is really busy with small kids or taking the time with someone who could do with a chat.

Wellness tip:

Leave a notepad by your bed and write down three things every day that you are grateful for. It can be as simple as ‘I’m grateful that it didn’t rain today’. Aim to do this consistently and see the difference it makes to you.

Exercise tip:

This week's exercise tip is power walking, put a bit of pace in those steps to get maximum benefit. Where possible add in elements like hills and steps to up your efforts. You will be delighted afterwards and feel the benefits.

Tomato and red lentil soup

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

Quick, easy, nutritious and delicious - this might be the perfect soup

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 4 celery sticks, sliced into 1 cm pieces

• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 cm rounds

• 1 litre vegetable stock

• 100g dried split red lentils

• 2 bay leaves (or a bouquet garni)

• 500ml passata

• salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the celery and carrots, and cook, covered, for another 5 minutes. Add a splash of water if the pan gets dry.

2. Add the stock, lentils and bay leaves. Stir well and increase the heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

3. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the passata. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the passata is heated through. Season to taste. Ladle the soup into warmed serving bowls.