It has been SO COLD here in Utah! We have had record lows all January long. I am getting very tired of it….blah. However, ONE good thing about cold weather is…..warm SOUP! There’s just something about soup that warms the belly and the soul. I love it.
This particular soup recipe is definitely a winner. Healthy, hearty, easy and “Crock Potty!” What’s not to love?? I first found this recipe on AllRecipes.com, but after reading the reviews, I changed it up a lot. I also added a few of my own touches and converted it into a Crock Pot recipe. Soooo, here is the final recipe with all of my changes;
Healthy Crock Pot Lentil Soup
(makes 6 servings)
Ingredients:
Here are all the ingredients I used. I didn’t have any crushed tomatoes, so I just used two different cans of diced tomatoes and crushed them in my food processor.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion; chopped
- 4 carrots; diced
- 2 stalks celery; diced
- 2 cloves garlic; minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups dry lentils
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and saute until onion is tender.
Add garlic, bay leaves, oregano and basil. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
Note: I’m sure you could skip these first two steps and just dump everything in the crock pot, but I think it helps add a bunch of flavor!
Put broth, water, lentils and tomatoes in Crock Pot. Add sauteed veggies and mix all together.
Cook on high heat for 4-5 hours. When ready to serve, stir in spinach and cook until it wilts.
Add vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well and enjoy!
YUM!
Nutrition: It’s a little high in sodium (because of the canned tomatoes and chicken broth), but you could use “no salt added” tomatoes to save a little in that area. The fiber and protein are stellar! And, at only 266 for a hearty, filling soup??? Awesome!
I hope you all love it! 😉
