Red Lentil Soup:

• 1 palm sized onion - diced (white or red works)
• 2 carrots - diced
• 1 stalk celery - finely chopped, or 1 tsp celery seed if you don't like the texture of celery
• 3 teaspoons of minced garlic (im just using the pre minced stuff packed in oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 bullion cubes
• 8 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups red split lentils
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes

Dissolve your bullion cubes in some of the water, you want them dissolved before you need the broth.

Sauté onions, carrots, celery/celery seed, and garlic until its 'sweated' (the onions should look slightly translucent but not yet browned) medium to high heat, its ok to brown them but you really don't want them burnt.

add in all spices and sauté an additional minute.

add in the bullion water, the remainder of the non bullion water, bay leaves, lemon juice and stir well ensuring there are no veggie bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Add in the can of crushed tomatoes and the lentils.

Bring to a boil while stirring frequently, once its boiling reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes with the occasional stir.

to store it, let it cool down, transfer it to containers and store in fridge. The soup takes freezing well.-