Lotsa Veggies Lentil Soup

1 tsp olive oil
1 medium sized onion, cut into medium dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried tarragon
several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 ribs celery, diced small
1/2 pound carrots, diced small
1/2 pound zucchini, diced small
1 cup French lentils (green lentils are fine too)
6 cups vegetable broth
6 oz tomato sauce
3 cups spinach leaves, washed well and chopped

Preheat a 4 qt pot over medium heat. Saute the onion in the oil for about 5 mins, until translucent. Use a little nonstick cooking spray if needed. Add the garlic, thyme, tarragon, pepper and salt and saute for another minute.

Add the celery, carrots, zucchini, lentils and vegetable brother and mix to combine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes, until the lentils and veggies are very tender and the soup is thickened.

Add the tomato sauce and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. You can serve it immediately, but, as with most soups, it's better if you let it sit for at least 10 minutes first, and it tastes ever better the next day.

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user JOLLIEBELL.