Vegetable-Lentil Soup

We're having some crazy rainy weather here in southern California right now, so it seems like the right time for a big pot of heart- and tummy-warming soup.  This one definitely fits the bill, and it is absolutely loaded with vitamins and nutrients, so hopefully it will fend off any colds that might try to follow the weather.

I've been trying to get behind lentils for a while now.  I didn't grow up with them, and my only real exposure to them has been through dal, which I like, but don't really eat on a regular basis.  I had a very traumatizing experience with lentil soup once before, so it took me a while to get back to trying it.  I'm glad I finally did, as this recipe comes together easily and features a rainbow of vegetables and flavors along with those little legumes. 

Vegetable-Lentil Soup

adapted from Williams-Sonoma's Eat Well

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 small carrot, peeled and diced

1/2 red bell pepper, cored and diced

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

one 14.5 ounce can no salt added diced tomatoes

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 generous cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon dry sherry

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic, carrot and bell pepper, and cook for about 3 more minutes.

2.  Stir in broth, tomatoes, lentils, paprika and cumin, along with a pinch each of salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

3.  Stir in spinach and cook, uncovered, just until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.  Stir in sherry.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!