Tomato Lentil Soup

Here’s a delicious meatless soup that has plenty of flavor.  We like red lentils that we buy from a health food store bulk bin – they taste good, look good and cook in less time than brown lentils.  Neither type of lentil needs presoaking like beans.  I used home canned chicken broth, but vegetable stock would be just as good.   We like it with hot, buttered skillet cornbread and sorghum or molasses for a country treat.                    

Tomato Lentil Soup

  1       tablespoon  olive oil

  1       cup  onion -- finely chopped (1 large)

  1       stalk  celery -- 1/2" pieces

  2       teaspoons  garlic -- finely chopped

  1       cup  carrots -- 1/2" pieces (2 medium)

  1       cup  dried lentils -- 8 ounces

  4       cups  water or home made chicken broth

   1       teaspoon  thyme

    1/4  teaspoon  pepper

  1       each  bay leaf

  28     ounces  canned tomatoes -- diced, drained  (I didn't drain mine)

In 3 quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery and garlic, cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Stir in remaining ingredients except tomatoes.  Heat to boiling, reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes.  **If using red lentils, simmer 10 minutes instead of 20 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes; reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered about 15 minutes more until heated through. Remove bay leaf.

6 servings about 1 ½ cups each.  $2.16 or 36¢ per serving.

  "Betty Crocker Soups and Breads”

Per Serving: 177 Calories; 3g Fat (13.6% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 13g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 219mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.