Hearty Ground Beef Vegetable Soup

------This is real comfort food with lots of flavor to warm you on a cold winter day. Enjoy it with some crusty bread and/or a salad. The ingredient list is long, but the preparation is easy!------

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  lb ground beef
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 2  medium  white onions, chopped
• 2  stalks celery, chopped
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans low sodium beef broth
• 3  carrots, chopped
• 2  tomatoes, chopped
• 6  new white potatoes, quartered
• 2  cups water
• 1⁄2 cup dry lentils, rinsed
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can green beans, undrained
• 2  tablespoons fennel bulbs, chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1  teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon basil

Directions

1. Saute the onion, celery and ground beef in 1 T of Olive Oil until the beef is brown and the onion transparent. Pour off grease.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, (use less salt if the broth is not low sodium,) cover and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1-2 hours.