INGREDIENTS

200 g red lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp crushed chillies
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
4 red peppers, deseeded and diced
1 litre vegetable stock
1 tbsp. sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp xylitol
4 tbsp. natural yoghurt

METHOD
Rinse the red lentils in a sieve, then leave them to soak in a bowl of cold water while making the rest of the soup.
Gently heat the oil and fry the onion in a large pan until soft. Add the garlic and red chilli for 2 minutes and then the sweet smoked paprika for a final minute along with a splash of water to stop the spice from sticking.

Add the red peppers and cover for 10 minutes until beginning to soften, stirring occasionally.
Drain the lentils and add them to the pan along with the vegetable stock. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils begin to break down.

Reserve one third of the soup to one side and blitz the remainder with a hand blender or in a food processor until smooth. Add the blitzed soup back to the pan and stir. Season to taste with a splash of sherry vinegar and the sweetener. Swirl in a little natural yoghurt to finish. A little garlic and herb soft cheese (instead of the yoghurt) add a wonderful creamy feel