Simple Lentil Soup

One of my favorite lunches is a can of Amy's Organic Lentil Soup. It's simple, nutritious, and delicious, but all those cans add up, so I decided to economize and make my own version with fresh, local, organic produce.

I used red potatoes (skin on), carrots, celery, and green onions (I didn't have any leeks, for once) along with my sprouted lentils, but I would have thrown in some spinach if I'd had it, and maybe some broccoli, too. I added lots of parsley to my soup because of its health benefits. (Lentils are also packed with awesome.) The result was different from the Amy's I love, but equally delicious. It's also vegan, and perfect for a cold winter day.

4 cups vegetable stock or broth
4 cups water
2 carrots
3 stalks celery
4-5 small red potatoes
1 leek or 4 green onions
1 1/2 cups sprouted lentils
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1/4 to 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1/8 tsp italian seasoning (or a dash each of basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary)
1/2-1 tsp parsley
dash of extra virgin olive oil (optional)
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Heat the stock and water over medium-high heat. Clean and chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces, leaving the skin on the potatoes.
2. Add the vegetables, lentils, and seasonings to the pot and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer over low heat for (at least) 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. (optional) Using a slotted spoon, remove 1-2 cups of the cooked vegetables and puree them in a food processor or blender. Stir back into pot. (This gives the soup a thicker, velvety texture).
5. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves four to five as an entree.

I've got my spoon. Where's my soup?