Red Lentil Soup Sarah Style

Warm your heart. Feed your soul. Eat with great delight. Feel the difference. Support local tended foods and use organic when possible.

5-6 fat carrots

4-leafy thick celery stalks

1-cup dried red lentils

1-bulb roasted garlic

4-cups chicken stock or H2O
1-28 oz can Muir Glen organic
 fire roasted tomatoes
1-onion

1-2 bay leaves 

salt

fresh cilantro

olive oil

roast garlic, it really brings out the flavor and is much deeper tasting in this delicate yet hearty winter soup. set garlic on baking dish. roast at 425 degrees until tender - 15 minutes or so. cool slightly. chop. save. 

in a Dutch oven saute 1/2 - 1 onion in olive oil or other healthy oil. add carrots and celery when onion softens. drop in 1-2 bay leaves. lightly steam veggies as they saute, by placing lid on Dutch oven. as veggies begin to turn bright orange and green, add in the dried lentils. let them get nice and hot, stirring them around in the pan. hot lentils soak up the liquid well and cook faster - taste better. 

pour 4 cups of water or 4 cups organic chicken stock over the veggie/legume mixture. re-place lid. cook longer until lentils start to soften. at this point open one can of (Muir Glen) fire roasted crushed tomatoes - time to add the garlic.

let everything simmer until the lentils soften and tomatoes blend in - approx 25- 30 minutes. add sea salt to taste. if soup gets thicker than you like, add a little more water or chicken stock, but not too much. expect a thicker consistency due to lentils. serve with fresh chopped cilantro.