A bowl of this lentil vegetable soup helps me combat seasonal blues

As soon as the sun starts setting before 5 p.m., I brace myself to battle the doldrums that tend to set in with the diminishing light. Making sure I get outside for a walk in the daytime helps, as does the anticipation of the upcoming holidays.

Embracing small things that bring cozy pleasure — such as curling up with a good book and a cup of tea, gathering casually with friends or enjoying some belly-warming food — makes a difference, too.

While many comfort foods are aggressively cheesy, creamy, sugary or fried — more of an indulgence than a healthy everyday pick — soup is one that can offer ample feel-good factor and optimal nutrition. That’s why I have a different pot of soup bubbling on my stove pretty much every week, all season long.

This lentil soup hits the spot like a soft, flannel shirt, a comfort that’s at once familiar, warming, practical and casually stylish. A mix of diced root vegetables, sautéed, then deglazed with a splash of balsamic vinegar, plus several cloves of mashed roasted garlic, give the final dish a unique, tasty flair.

I use carrots and parsnips for their earthy sweetness, along with celery root and turnips, which lend an almost-meaty bite to the tender, brothy lentils, but any combination of root vegetables will work. Fragrant with thyme and garnished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, the finished soup makes for a filling, nutritious meal, which, I find, does a stellar job of warding off the winter blues.

• Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian nutritionist and cookbook author who hosts public television’s “Ellie’s Real Good Food.” Learn more at www.elliekrieger.com.

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Lentil and Vegetable Soup

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 cups diced root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, celery root, rutabaga and turnips (½-inch dice)

1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces), diced

¾ teaspoon fine salt, divided, plus more as needed

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, preferably aged, divided, plus more as needed

1¼ cups (8¾ ounces) brown or green lentils, thoroughly picked over and rinsed

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, plus more as needed

⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425°F.

Place the garlic cloves on a piece of foil, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the oil and wrap. Set the foil pouch on a small sheet pan and roast for about 25 minutes, or until the garlic softens. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl and set aside until cool enough to handle. Use your hands to squeeze the garlic out of its skins into the same bowl and mash into a paste with a fork. (It’s okay if the paste is not perfectly smooth.)

While the garlic is roasting, in a medium (4-quart) pot over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons of oil until shimmering. Add the root vegetables and onion, season with ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Drizzle the vegetables with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and gently stir to coat, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the lentils and thyme, then add the broth, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir the mashed garlic into the mixture, increase the heat to medium-high and return the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors meld and the ingredients soften further, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of vinegar, then taste, and season with more vinegar, salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls, garnish with the parsley and serve hot.

4 to 6 servings (makes about 8 cups)

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. The lentils will continue to soak up liquid as they sit, so you may need to add additional broth when reheating.

Substitutions: For fresh thyme, use fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary. For yellow onion, use white onion. Don’t have all of the root vegetables listed above? Use at least two types, for the best flavor.

Nutrition | Per serving (1⅓ cups), based on 6: 289 calories, 45g carbohydrates, 5mg cholesterol, 7g fat, 11g fiber, 13g protein, 1g saturated fat, 369mg sodium, 7g sugar

— Ellie Krieger