Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 cup dried green lentils (rinsed)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 large can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2-3 cups diced fresh spinach (packed)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional, but suggested for serving)

Directions

1. Add olive oil to dutch oven or other larger soup pot.
2. Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic and saute until slightly softened.
3. Add all remaining ingredients and stir well.
4. Cover pot and simmer for 1 hr, stiring occassionally to ensure lentils don’t stick to the bottom.
5. After an hour, take a stick blender and blend soup slightly.  This will give the creaminess, however still leave the soup chunky.  If you don’t have a stick blender remove 1-2 cup of the soup and process in a regular blender and then add it back to the soup.

NUTRITIONIST’S TIP:

Soup is by far the easiest way to add more nutrition to your meal.  This recipe works with vegetable stock also, however in that case I would omit the honey because I find veg stock naturally sweet tasting.