lentil soup

I love to use some of the celery leaves in this recipe as well. It adds a nice texture to the soup but you can leave them out if you prefer.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 onion, diced
1/2 celery stalk (plus some leaves), diced
1/2 carrot, diced
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup lentils, picked over for impurities and rinsed well
1-1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and bay leaf and stir to combine. Add lentils and 1 cup stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered for 40-50 minutes, until lentils are fully cooked. Add more stock during cooking if necessary to keep vegetables covered in liquid. Remove bay leaf and serve warm.

Serves 1-2.