I love this lentil soup on a chilly winter day. Lentils are a hearty legume with a lot of protein, iron and fiber, so they are an ideal food when maintaining a vegetarian diet.

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups dry lentils
8 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Procedure

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in lentils, and add broth and tomatoes. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts. Stir in white wine vinegar, and season lentil soup to taste with salt and pepper.