Stewed veggie & lentil soup

Healthy, easy, and affordable — all in one pot!

My friend Rachel is good at eating healthy and doing Sunday food prep for the rest of the week. I try to do both of those things too, and a little inspiration goes a long way. When Rachel told me how much she loved this soup from Disfunkshion Magazine, I was all for it. 

The ingredients are wallet-friendly, the prep is minimal, and if you make a double batch you'll be eating it for more than a week. Words of wisdom: Start with a single batch. I doubled the recipe and it was nearly too much of a good thing. Let's be honest, no matter how yummy something is, you're kinda over it by day three. So start with a single batch — or make double and freeze half of it for a rainy day!





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STEWED VEGGIE & LENTIL SOUP

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 TBS olive oil
1–2 carrots (depending on size), peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup lentils, rinsed
5 cups unsalted or low-sodium vegetable broth
1 TBS red wine vinegar (I actually used apple cider vinegar)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
shaved parmesan & chopped green onions or parsley, for garnish

WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Pour olive oil into a pot over medium heat. Add chopped carrots, celery, garlic, and bay leaves. Stir until slightly translucent. 

2. Add lentils and stir together. Add vegetable broth, cumin, paprika, and salt. Stir to combine. Turn heat to medium-low to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once lentils are cooked, add 1 TBS vinegar and cook for 5 minutes more. 

3. Remove 1–2 cups of the soup and purée it, either in a blender or with an immersion blender. Return the puréed soup to the pot and stir to combine. 

*Note: This is for a thicker texture, so purée as much or as little as you like. I think this is an integral step as I'm a texture nut, but it's really optional. The original recipe doesn't call for doing this.

4. Serve with green onions or parsley and shaved parmesan cheese.

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I think the flavors in this soup only improved with time. It's very filling and satisfying for both body and mind — body in that it leaves you feeling full, and mind in how good you feel having enjoyed a healthy homemade meal. Friends, do you have any tried-and-true make-ahead meals? Sound off in the comments! 
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