Vegetable Lentil Soup

This soup is wholesome and straightforward. Great for cool days and cold nights, serve it with toasted, crusty rye or sourdough... and a beer or two.


Ingredients

4 tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter (or olive oil)
6 carrots, chopped
6 celery stalks, chopped
2 white onions, chopped
4 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups water
4 large or 8 small vegetable bouillon cubes
2 cups green lentils, sorted and rinsed
4 potatoes, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
small handful of parsley, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
30 cracks of black pepper (or 1 tsp pre-ground)
1 bunch spinach, washed and chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (optional, but worth the $5 or $6 for a bottle)


Equipment

Large stockpot


Directions

Heat the stockpot to medium-high. Add the butter and move it around the pot, until a bit has melted. Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves and garlic. Saute until soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Add the water, bouillon and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cover partially, allowing steam to escape. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the potatoes, tomatoes, parsley, cumin, thyme, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Return to a boil and then simmer for another 10 minutes.

The lentils and potatoes should be soft -- if not, simmer until they are. Once they are soft, add the spinach and simmer for 2 or 3 more minutes, just until the spinach wilts. Stir in the red wine vinegar and Bragg's Liquid Aminos, and serve!


Alterations

*Switch out the spices in the recipe for turmeric, coriander, cumin, garam masala, and dashes of cinnamon and cayenne. Blammo, Indian dahl!

*This soup, like all soups and stews, is more theory than recipe. It's an easy way to use up whatever vegetables you have leftover from previous meals in the week, so feel encouraged to get experimental.