Peppery Lemon Lentil Soup: Plant-Based Performance Nutrition for Ultra-Athletes

’Tis the season of cold, often wet winter miles.

It’s also the season when we need to balance training in challenging conditions with looking after our health during cold and flu season.

This absolutely delicious, simple soup is packed with nutrients and makes a lovely, immune-supportive addition to your winter menu. And it’s a great way to put some everyday performance nutrition into practice.

Why? Just look at the ingredients within the ingredients!

Performance nutrition

Lentils

One of the richest sources of polyphenols among legumes. These plant compounds have antioxidant properties and help protect cells from oxidative stress. One cup of cooked lentils provides around 18g of protein and is rich in folate, iron and magnesium, to name just a few important nutrients. They also provide carbohydrate and fibre, making them a useful addition to an athlete’s everyday diet.

Lemons

An excellent source of vitamin C, which contributes to normal immune function and helps protect cells from oxidative stress. In this recipe, lemon juice also helps with the absorption of non-haem iron from plant foods.

Black pepper

Sometimes called the king of spices, black pepper contains piperine, a plant compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. And I tend to be rather liberal with it in this recipe!

Onion and garlic

Both contain beneficial plant compounds. Garlic is particularly known for allicin, which has been studied for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Plants really do contain a pharmacy of phytochemicals. Alongside the vitamins, minerals, protein and carbohydrate we obtain from a varied diet, these compounds contribute to our nutritional resilience over time.

And that’s the point. Good performance nutrition isn’t just about what you eat during training or racing. It’s about the quality of the nutritional deposits you make day after day.

Peppery Lemon Lentil Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 7 oz (200g) red lentils
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• ½ tsp black pepper (I tend to be more liberal!)
• Pinch of red chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp rosemary, preferably fresh
• 1 bay leaf
• 1¾ pints (1 litre) vegetable or chicken stock
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Fresh dill to sprinkle on top, if you want to be fancy

Method

1. Rinse the lentils.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
3. Add the carrot, garlic, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, rosemary, oregano and bay leaf. Stir well and sauté until the carrot begins to soften.
4. Add the stock and lentils. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for around 25 minutes, or until the lentils are very soft.
5. Remove the bay leaf. Blend the soup if you prefer a smooth consistency – I always do!
6. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, then finish with another sprinkling of black pepper and fresh dill, if you like.

A little performance nutrition in your bowl

This soup makes a warming, nourishing meal after a cold winter ride. The lentils provide carbohydrate to help replenish energy stores, alongside plant-based protein to support recovery.

Depending on the demands of your training and what else you’ve eaten that day, you may want to add some crusty bread or another carbohydrate source, and perhaps extra protein, to meet your recovery needs.

It also keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days, making it ideal for batch cooking. Reheat a portion and carry it to work in a wide-mouth flask for a warming lunch.

Performance nutrition is about much more than what you eat during training and racing. It’s about what you eat day after day, building a strong nutritional foundation that supports your training, recovery and life beyond the bike.

Choose wisely, make those deposits consistently, and give your body the resources it needs to perform and recover.

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Good performance nutrition starts with the everyday choices you make.

If you’d like to understand how to make those choices work harder for your training, recovery and life beyond the bike, I’d love to help.

Explore Nutrition with Jill.