As the weather gets colder, and the nights get longer, theres nothing more comforting than having a tasty soup simmering away on the stove. This lentil soup is very good, as it is so flavourful, but also quite nutritious. Lentils are packed with nutrients, and are high in protein and dietary fibre. This vegetarian soup is hearty and is sure to warm you up on a cold day. It’s light enough to be enjoyed as a side or as an appetizer, but it’s filling enough to have as a meal. It can also be easily modified, by adding tomatoes, garlic and other vegetables and seasoning, as desired.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of lentils

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 1/2 cup carrots chopped

• 3/4 cup celery chopped

• 1/4 of vegetable bouillon

• 1 cup vegetable puree

• 1 sprig of parsley

• salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

Soak lentils in water for half an hour. Drain and place in a medium sized pot. Add carrots, celery, onion, vegetable bouillon and bay leaf. Fill the pot with water, until everything is covered. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on medium-low heat for 1 hour or until the lentils have softened. In the last half hour of cooking, add vegetable puree. Stir, and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and freshly ground black pepper.

For the vegetable puree:

I had some vegetable soup sitting in the fridge, so I decided to puree it and add it to the soup. This adds extra thickness and amazing taste. The soup consisted of carrots, celery, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and seasoning. If you don’t have vegetable puree, just bring a handful of different vegetables to a boil, reduce heat and cook until soft. Salt and pepper to taste. When cooled, puree the vegetable mixture and add to soup.