Heartwarming Homemade Lentil Soup

This recipe, which was adapted from Linda Fraser's collection of vegetarian recipes, is easy to make and freezes well. During the winter I eat it almost once a week.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  teaspoons olive oil
• 1  onion, diced
• 3  stalks celery, diced
• 1⁄2 cup  diced carrot
• 3⁄4 cup dried lentils
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 3 3⁄4 cups  vegetable stock
• 2  teaspoons dried fine herbs or 2  teaspoons  herbes de provence
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. heat olive oil in large stock pot over medium heat.
2. add diced onion to pot and saute for 3 minutes.
3. add diced celery and carrot to onion and saute another 3 minutes.
4. add lentils to pot and saute 1 minute.
5. add tomatoes, stock, herbs, and pepper to pot.
6. bring pot to a boil.
7. lower heat to medium low and cover.
8. simmer until lentils are cooked, approximately 25 or 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. remove pot from heat, uncover, and allow contents to cool.
10. using food processor or hand-held blender, puree approximately 1/2 the contents of the pot.
11. return puree to pot, stir, and heat through.
12. serve with crusty bread.