It is once again grey season here in the PNW and I crave hearty soup! This lemony lentil soup is packed with flavors that will delight. Not so spicy the kids won’t eat it either.

Tips to get you started:

· The zest from the second lemon may be saved and dried to make your own lemon pepper herb spice blend.

Prep time: 10-20 minutes

Cook time: 30-45 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups red lentils, washed well

6 Cups better than bullion vegetable broth, prepared

2 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 Medium yellow onion, diced

3 Medium carrots, small diced

2 Medium stalks of celery, small diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 Teaspoon ground ginger

2 Teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ Teaspoons turmeric

1 Teaspoon granulated garlic

1 Teaspoon ground coriander

1 15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes (Italian style)

2 lemons, zest and juice of one, plus juice from the second lemon

2 ½ bay leaves

¼ Teaspoon ground black pepper

1 Teaspoon kosher salt

Part one: Heat EVOO over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add onions, carrots, celery, salt and pepper to the pan. Sauté until the onions turn translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the minced garlic and sauté until just fragrant.

Part two: To the pan, add ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, granulated garlic and tomatoes. Add the broth, bay leaves and lentils. Stir to combine and bring to a hearty simmer. Cover and cook for at least another 25-30 minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender.

Part three: About 5 minutes before you remove the soup from heat, add the zest from one lemon and the juice from both. Stir to combine and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Part four: Remove soup from heat. Place approximately half of the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup to a smoother consistency and combine with the un-blended half. Serve.

Serving suggestion: Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.

Tiny chefs at home? They can help:

· Measure ingredients

· Rinse the lentils

· Juice and zest the lemon

· Stir the soup (with supervision for heat)

Nutrition information:

Total Calories: 221

Total Fat: 6 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 750 mg

Total Carbohydrates: 32 g

Sugars: 4 g

Protein: 12 g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.