I am trying to expand my horizons and the horizons of my family when it comes to eating lunch. We do great with dinner, but when it comes to lunch we are not so great. We are the typical chicken nugget, pbj, can of soup-type family when it comes to lunch. I have decided that we need healthier and heartier lunch choices. So, I made homemade green lentil soup. It is full of yummy veggies and the lentils give it a nice dose of protein.

Only ¼ cup of lentils has 10 grams of protein and 20% of the daily recommended dose of iron. With numbers like that, I’ll be looking to use lentils more often in my cooking. Although we are not vegetarians, this recipe is a vegetarian recipe. Most importantly, my kids love it!

For those interested in new recipes, I wanted to share mine. Since I didn’t follow a recipe, the amounts are pretty inexact and you can really use whatever vegetables you have on-hand. Enjoy!

1 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
8 carrots, chopped
1 can of reduced sodium vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
½ T. tarragon (dried)
½ T. Thyme (dried)
½ t. black pepper
1 ½ c. green lentils
4-5 c. water
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
Cooking spray

1. Spray the soup pot with cooking spray.
2. Let the onions and garlic sauté for about 3 minutes.
3. Add in the celery, carrots, and vegetable broth. Let it come to a boil.
4. Add in the bay leaves, spices, water, and lentils. Let it come to another boil.
5. Reduce to a simmer. Add in the tomatoes.
6. Cook until lentils are tender.
7. Take about 2 cups of the soup, put it in the blender and puree.
8. Add the puree back to the soup and stir.
9. Last, add in a few handfuls of spinach. When the spinach wilts, it is ready to eat.