Hearty Lentil Soup With Spinach - Vegetarian Version

I usually make this with bacon, but I can't eat meat on my current restricted diet, so I've tossed that smoky slab and added some other stuff! I've also almost doubled the original amounts of original recipe - I can't make small batches of soup! I pack it up in plastic containers and take them to work. *Please note that preparation time may vary. I'm a slow chopper and I accounted for that in the given time below!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 8-12
• Yields: 3-4 Quarts

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil (or thereabouts)
• 1 1⁄2 large onions, chopped fine
• 4  medium carrots, peeled and chopped medium
• 4  celery ribs, chopped medium
• 6  garlic cloves
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1  large bay leaf
• 2  teaspoons  minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2  cups lentils
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
•  ground black pepper
• 8  cups vegetable broth
• 3  cups water
• 8  ounces spinach, baby whole or 8  ounces  regular spinach, chopped

Directions

1. Heat olive oil at medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, carrots and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften (4-8 minutes).
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
4. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme; cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
5. Stir in lentils, salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils have darkened *7-10 minutes).
7. Uncover, add vegetable broth and water.
8. Bring to a boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low.
9. Simmer until lentils are tender but not mushy (30-35 minutes).
10. Discard bay leaf.
11. Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth, then return puree to pot.
12. Stir in spinach until wilted.
13. Serve! (or place in plastic containers for work!).