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Jul 1, 2008

OMEGA OH MY!


Gleefully, I rub my hands and hover over the lentil soup pan like a witch over a cauldron. Oh this is going to be great! A huge pan of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, bubbling away - and almost ready to reboot my ageing brain, into a quick firing neuronal miracle!

I read somewhere that Omega 3 and 6 are supposed to be good for the brain but until recently assumed they were only found in oily fish – which apparently it is not advisable to consume too much of, because of its mercury content. Now I have never eaten lentils in my life and don’t even know how I discovered that this particular foodstuff is rich in Omega fatty acids but apparently it is and I am thrilled (!) because I like vegetable soup.

One large carrot and onion, one diced potato and two vegetable bullion blocks have all been added to the mix and it is now three quarters of an hour later and my brain food is ready to taste! It is very green. All the other ingredients seem to have dissolved. Carefully, I ladle out a dishful and view it thoughtfully. It looks like dark green sludge – not aesthetically pleasing but it smells good – and what wonders it will perform! Eagerly I dip my spoon and raise it to my lips. Eyes closed – taste – savour – swallow…. not bad at all! I can almost feel those incumbent grey cells stirring….

Two dishes later and I contemplate another. It tastes all right but it is very filling… in fact, on second thoughts I decide not to eat a third dish. The other two are settling on my stomach rather like a block of cement. I also feel very thirsty and guzzle two glasses of water.

Another half hour has past and I am now feeling slightly queasy… Lord, I hope this stuff works quickly! I try a little brain exercise test: one times twelve is twelve…gurgle …, two times twelve is…burp… Ow! Really churning now. With some dismay, I glance over at the soup pan. It still contains enough green sludge for at least another ten meals…. Oh dear, a word to the wise, if you are thinking of making lentil soup, use a small pan!
Oh well, life is nothing if not suprising… at least I learned something new today....groan..

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I live in Spain, Geri, and my lovely lady is Spanish. She makes a delicious lentil dish based on a traditional recipe. I'll get it from her and let you know.

All the best,

Declan

Anonymous said...

That sounds like the soup we made at school. Mind you everything I cooked in school had that green sludgy look to it.

Geri Atric said...

declan - thank you very much, I'd appreciate it! I have had only one Spanish holiday in my life and I loved the food. The Spanish lentil dish must be really good.

grannymar - lol, me too - but I've seen some of the delicious recipes on your blog, and you've come a long way since green sludge dom. sci. days!

Anonymous said...

Phew!

I was waiting for an explosion from your other end :lol:

Geri Atric said...

Hi Steph - haha! Plenty of those too! Powerful stuff that lentil soup.