Fall Lentil Soup

Last week it was starting to get pretty chilly and rainy.  All I wanted was soups and stews to warm up.  This amazing lentil stew with a tomato base is perfect for the upcoming Fall season for those days when you just need to warm up the bones a little.  It's done in 30 minutes which makes it easy to make any day of the week but why not make a batch on Sunday for lunch the following week!

Gather Up:

1 medium onion, diced

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried tarragon

3 medium carrots, diced

3 stalks celery chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup red lentils

1 14 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 14 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes

1 TBSP lemon juice

6 Cups veggie stock

Saute the onions in veggie oil until translucent.  Add the herbs, and garlic and saute another 2 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and lentils and stir until simmering.  Add the stock, carrots and celery and simmer until everything is soft and thickened.  Lentils should be falling apart.  Season with Salt and Pepper.  Add the lemon juice just before serving and garnish with fresh herbs.  Serve with fresh bread or as a side to a main dish.  

This freezes really well too so freeze half the batch to enjoy at a later time when you're not feeling like being in the kitchen!