Soup With Tomato and Red Lentils

This is one of the few tasty ways I've found to prepare lentils---the spices are key! I've made this soup with regular lentils when I can't find red ones and it is still delicious. I've also used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth, which also works well. Rinse lentils right before adding to soup so they won't stick together. Recipe came from Betty Crocker's Healthy New Choices.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2  medium carrots, sliced
• 2  medium  stalk celery, sliced
• 1  small red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans  ready-to-serve vegetable broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in puree, undrained
• 1  cup dried red lentils, sorted and rinsed
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1  teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh dill weed or 1  teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrots, celery and bell pepper in butter 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender. Garnish with additional fresh dill weed if desired.