Serves 4 to 6
LENTIL SOUP is an old friend of mine. When I was a struggling actress waiting tables for a living, I would make this perfect soup and it would last me several days. I remember going to a gourmet food market at the end of the day, and experiencing the visual spectacle of premade food and freshly baked bread (back in the days when I didn’t realize conventional bread was making my condition worse). At the time, I was living on tips from waitressing so the prices in this store were way beyond what I could afford, but at the end of the day the fresh-baked bread was half off, and I would buy two loaves and a package of lentils (usually with a coupon) and make soup. These days, I mimic that experience with my artisan bread (here), which I dip into this luscious soup. It’s even better than the “olden days”—and still inexpensive.
You can also top with Parmesan cheese if you are able to eat dairy (I never do, but I know some who can). This is a good, wholesome, honest meal.
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup green lentils
1 bay leaf (dried or fresh)
5 cups cold water
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for serving
2 cups fresh spinach and/or kale (I use fresh, but frozen can be more cost effective and just as nutritious)
¾ cup chopped mushrooms (I use a mixed assortment)
1 tablespoon Himalayan salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups gluten-free pasta or rice (optional)
Combine the onion, carrots, celery, lentils, and bay leaf in a medium stockpot and cover with the water. Simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Add the olive oil, spinach, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir a few times. When the spinach starts to wilt down (about 3 minutes), turn the heat to low and simmer for another 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
Serve hot over gluten-free pasta or hot cooked rice, or just put it in a bowl and spoon it up. I drizzle a little more olive oil on top as well.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It tastes great the next day: Just add some more water if needed, reheat, and eat!
Note: Lentils are a legume, and that means they could lead to stomach discomfort for some people. Remember your food journal—if this soup gives you trouble, write it down so you can notice whether lentils are a problem in general for you, or if your digestion adjusts.