Connie's Tuesday Kitchen---Soup is ALWAYS Comfort Food By Connie Vines #Connie'sKitchen, #Easy and Fast Lentil Soup, #Connie'sKitchen, #BWLAuthor, #portable meals

 Lentil Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 clove of garlic, finely diced

3 stalks of celery, finely diced

3 carrots, peeled and finely diced

2 cups (12 ounces) of small green lentils

8 cups of water or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

1/8 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste

3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste

1/2 bunch collard greens/kale/or baby spinach  (depending on personal preference)

 stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise.

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Method

Caramelize the onions:

In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the onions and cook, occasionally stirring, for 10 minutes, or until deep, golden brown.

Onions in the bottom of a soup pot for lentil soup.

Caramelized onions and tomato paste in the bottom of a soup pot.

Cook the tomato paste and vegetables:

Push the onions to the side of the pot. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens to a ruddy brown. Add the thyme, garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook and stir for 2 minutes And in the space you made, add the tomato paste.es.

Add the lentils and liquid, and simmer the soup:

Add the lentils, 8 cups of water, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to the pot. Adjust the heat to medium so the soup is just at a gentle simmer. Simmer for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.

Pot of diced vegetables in water.

Finish the soup and serve:

Scoop out 2 cups of the soup and purée it in a blender until smooth, or use an immersion blender and purée until the soup takes on a petite body and thickens, but you still have texture. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir in the lemon juice. Add the sliced kale and simmer until the kale softens about 1 to 2 minutes.

Taste, and add more salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if you like. Serve with a nice slice of crusty bread or a side salad.

NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING)

240 CALORIES

4gFAT

39gCARBS

13gPROTEIN

 

Substitutions and Additions

• Use Worcestershire sauce instead of soy sauce (make sure the Worcestershire is vegan if you want to keep the lentil soup vegan).
• Substitute chicken stock for the water or vegetable stock if you're not worried about it being vegetarian.
• Add a little bit of finely diced potatoes or sweet potatoes with the vegetableYouyou can add some finely chopped jalapeño or serrano pep for a bit of heat.
• Meat lovers may want to put some chopped sausage or crumble some bacon on top.
• Top the soup with chopped fresh herbs, like cilantro, basil, or parsley.

What to Do With Leftovers

Consider freezing the soup in small one-portion containers so you can pull it out at will and use it for mid-week lunches. This lentil soup recipe will keep in the freezer for up to six months.

Remember, all of my novels and novellas have my fave recipes included!

Wishing you a week of warm wishes and tasty dishes,

Connie

XOXO