Instructions: 1. The lentils and spinach are cooked at the same time. Bake a handful of baby leaf spinach on a sprayed tray at 400F for 12 to 15 minutes or until aromatic. (A toaster or countertop oven may be used.)

2. Meanwhile, rinse the lentils. Place in a pressure cooker with water, salt substitute and olive oil. Bring to pressure; lower heat to medium or lower to maintain pressure. Time cooking: 6 minutes and cool of own accord; or 9 minutes and cool immediately.

3. Puree half the lentils with a hand-held blender. Add water to thin the soup. Add the onions, chipotle and mustard. Chop the spinach and add to the soup along with oregano. Season to taste with garlic salt and pepper. Reheat gently and add buttermilk, stirring. Buttermilk will cream and add tang. Keep heat low to prevent buttermilk from curdling. Serve hot with a muffin or slice of ginger bread.

TIPS -
*Cream or nut milk may be substituted for the buttermilk.
*Try a mustard mixed with caramelized vidalia onion; it complements the chipotle.
*The lentils may be cooked conventionally: about 35-40 minutes in a sauce pan; add water as necessary to thin the soup.
*Reduce the sodium somewhat by seasoning the broth with a salt substitute. That will leave room for a little garlic salt.

Description: "Creamy green lentils with spinach and mustard."

NOTES : Lentils, spinach and mustard have an affinity weve always liked. Lentil soup is a good example. It often includes smoked meat. Here weve substituted chipotle for bacon and baked the spinach for fun. Dont skip the oregano. Its needed to make baking the spinach a worthwhile effort. The spinach and oregano also balanced the smoky heat. The sweet muffin (we chose blueberry) side dish cooled the heat of the chipotle. It had a nice interplay of flavors. Nice cup of soup thats done fairly quickly in a pressure cooker.

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