Hearty Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium purple onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 14- ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 2 cups dry green lentils
• 7 cups of broth (vegetable or chicken broth) or to add something more nutrient dense, use any type of bone broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3 cups baby kale or spinach, sliced into ribbons
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Optional: 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the purple onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook and stir frequently for about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the can of tomatoes (with juices), lentils, broth, cumin, coriander and smoked paprika.
3. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the soup has thickened. For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to blend a few times in the pot. Alternatively, add 1-2 cups of the soup to a regular blender, blend until smooth and then return to the pot.
4. At the very end, add in the baby kale or spinach and lemon juice. It will only take a minute for the baby kale or spinach to wilt. Season with salt to taste.

Pro-tips

• For a thinner soup, simply add more water or broth until you reach the desired consistency
• For a creamier soup, add 1/3 cup coconut milk when you add the broth
• Leftover soup will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days or you can even freeze as well