More Vegetarian Cooking - Lentil Soup

We are still trying to live our veggie lifestyle, but I have to admit it has been hard to follow for the past month.  For a variety of reasons, it's been difficult to find the time to cook.  We have been eating out a lot and our choices haven't always been vegetarian, or even healthy, for that matter. 

I am not stating any little known fact here, but when you have a busy schedule, the only way to make eating in and eating healthy work, is to cook all your meals for the week during the weekends.

So, this past weekend, I cooked up a storm, making big portions so that we can eat some of the stuff during the week and freeze some for later. 

One of my favorite things to make and eat, even before we committed to being vegetarian, is lentil soup.  It is so hearty and full of healthful ingredients.  There is very oil involved, it has protein from the lentils, and vitamins from the vegetables.  I keep a lot of the ingredients in the pantry, but, I hardly make it exactly the same twice because I use what I have on hand.

Lentil Soup (I think this probably serves about 4 to 5 people, if you are eating it as a main course)
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and picked through (I am not particular about the variety of lentils, I have used brown, green, and red lentils)
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
About 4 cups veggie stock
1 bay leaf (2, if the leaves are small)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Sometimes, I add diced celery (this time I didn't have any), and sometimes I add diced potatoes, or quartered crimini mushrooms.

Heat some olive oil, saute the onions until translucent.  Add the carrots and garlic and saute (make sure the garlic doesn't burn. If you have celery, add it now). 

Add the lentils, the stock, tomatoes and bay leaf.  Let the whole thing simmer for a while, until the lentils are soft and the soup has thickened. 

This time around, I noticed the soup was a little salty from the broth, so I added some potato (do you know that trick?  If soup is overly salty, you can add some potato to soak up the saltiness...).  I put in some mushrooms towards the end, per husband's request.  Salt and pepper to taste.
This soup is so simple, and so very delicious.  We like to eat it with fresh baked bread.  I hope you try the recipe. Make it your own, take out the things you don't like, add what you do like!