Ok- I promised I would make this soup and I did. And I’m happy I did because it is really good. It doesn’t get much easier than chopping stuff up and throwing it in a crock pot and letting it fester over night. I put this together around 9pm last night and we had it for lunch today about 12:30. Here is the recipe the way it appeared on one of my favorite food blogs, Apron Strings and Simmering Things.
Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
1 bag dry lentils
1 c.sliced carrot
1 c. sliced celery
1 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
3 1/2 c. chicken broth or veggie broth or beef broth
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans organic tomatoes Muir Glen is best.
1 bag frozen spinach
1 tsp chopped dried chipotle
1 package of pasta, cooked
salt/pepper to taste
Rinse lentils. In crock pot place lentils, carrot, spinach, celery, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, cumin, cilantro thyme, and bay leaf. Stir in broth and undrained tomatoes. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. Discard bay leaf. Add pasta and stir in. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes more.
Now let me tell you what I really did. First confession- I didn’t measure anything. Second confession- I left the chipotle out because Dev has had a tummy virus and I didn’t think the spice would sit well with him. Third confession- I didn’t even thaw the frozen spinach- I dropped the square shaped mass of frozen chopped spinach right on top of everything else in the crock pot, threw on the cover and went to bed. And despite all these transgressions- it still turned out to be really good soup. Next time I do it (and there will be a next time) I will double up on the tomatoes and I will add more chicken stock.
I highly recommend this for a hearty lunch on a cold, windy day. Actually, I’d eat it anytime- we just have more than our share of cold windy days around here.
