Super Soup

    So far, there have been very few instances in Norway where I have felt truly, unavoidably American.  They've been there: Grocery store clerks will switch to English if I don't give a quick enough "Nei" when they ask if I want a bag, sometimes I end up at a social event in jeans and a sweatshirt when everyone else is dressed to the nines, and, of course, I still eat an ungodly amount of peanut butter.  Honestly, though, I feel like I haven't been doing too badly - when you're in a foreign country you sometimes just have to accept that you will make social gaffes and move on.  But there is one thing that I was initially unprepared to deal with:  No microwave.  I mean, I'm a college student.  The microwave is my best friend.  I just don't understand how no one in Norway seems to feel that a microwave is a necessary kitchen appliance, and then I feel bad for not understanding because I look a whiny American who needs a pizza pocket or something.  All I want to do is heat up my leftover rice and beans.  I promise.          

This is apparently what people used to heat up food in

But because I'm cheap and I'm only going to be here for four months, there is no way I'm shelling out the cash for a microwave of my own.  Luckily, my mother knows a thing or two about cooking in the dark ages and when I explained to her my microwave-less situation, she gave me some advice.  Apparently, before the microwave oven was invented, there was this thing called the oven.  And if you happened to have leftover food that needed heating, you put it in this so-called oven.  So, taking my mother's word that this was the way to go, I invested in a sturdy-looking glass 9 x 13 Pyrex baking dish.  And it works pretty well.  The only problem with this solution is that I've already been spoiled - microwaves are just so damn convenient.  You can have re-heated food in one minute without having to dirty several other dishes in the process.  

  

So, while I do really love my Pyrex baking dish, my other (slightly more creative) solution has been soup.  If I make soup and store it in a sauce pan with the lid on, then I can just stick the pan right back on the stove and heat it up whenever I want.  Voila, soup!  Okay, so at this point you're probably thinking that I should get over myself and get my lazy American butt over to the oven and heat up my rice and beans, but there are several other wonderful benefits to soup that I have not yet mentioned.  There is a reason this post is entitled "Super Soup" and that is because this lentil soup is not only SUPER easy (both to make and reheat), but SUPER good and SUPER cheap.  And it involves very few ingredients.   

Let's face it.  There's nothing better than having a homemade soup ready and waiting to be heated up for lunch, and this soup is particularly satisfying because it has tender chunks of potato and carrot, lentils, and a warm cumin flavor - it goes really well with a hearty slice of whole wheat bread.  And, best of all, reheating it doesn't require dirtying every dish I own.  

Lentil Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

2-3 medium-sized potatoes, cubed

2-3 medium-sized carrots, sliced widthwise

1 can of chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup lentils

2 1/2 cups water

2-3 teaspoons cumin (depending on how much you like cumin)

generous pinch of salt

pepper to taste

1.  Chop all the veggies and set aside.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan, add the garlic and onion, and sauté until translucent.

2.  Add the remaining ingredient and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes or until the potatoes, carrots, and lentils are all cooked through.  

3.  Taste, and adjust the salt, pepper, and cumin to your preferences!