Happy Leap Day everyone! It's like a free day :) I always think about people who are born on Leap Day. How weird that would be!
Continuing in the spirit of trying new things, I am making Lentil Soup!
I've never cooked with lentils before (in fact, I don't think I've ever HAD lentils before!), but they are really healthy and I've heard good things. Then, Sasha mentioned she was going to make lentil soup, so I figured I would give it a try, too. I did some research and came up with the following recipe (mainly adapted from
allrecipes.com) but honestly, it is just a guideline and you should include whatever you like (I added mushrooms because I like them and had some fresh ones on hand). I decided to go with a slow cooker recipe so I could just throw it together and leave it alone. Also, what a great way to get veggies into your kids, if you're lucky enough to have kids who like soup like I do!
Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
Prep Time:20 Min
Cook Time:11 Hrs
Ready In: 11 Hrs 20 Min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
1 cup dried lentils
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
32 ounces chicken broth
1 cup water
8 teaspoons tomato sauce
Directions
In a 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker combine the lentils, celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Season with basil, thyme, oregano, the bay leaf and pepper. Stir in the chicken broth, water and tomato sauce. Cover and cook on Low for 11 hours (or High for about 5 hours). Discard the bay leaf before serving. Freeze extras for future meals.
Note: when I make it again, I would not add veggies until later in the cooking process so they don't get over cooked.
