Lentil Soup

 

Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped fine
2 stalks celery chopped fine
2 carrots chopped fine
4 garlic cloves minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (I used fresh from my garden)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
2 small cans diced tomatoes or one large
2 cups brown or green lentils (red are too soft)
4 cups low or no sodium vegetable stock
2 to 4 cups water as needed
1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown or white sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion in olive oil, when translucent add celery, then carrots. Last add minced garlic and spices to bloom them in the oil. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes to enhance their flavor. I used fire roasted diced tomatoes. Last add salt, pepper, lentils, stock, and water. Bring to a boil then turn down heat and simmer partially covered for 45 to 60 minutes or longer till lentils and other vegetables are soft but still retain their shape. You can cut this recipe in half if you wish. Just the ticket for a brisk fall day.

I happen to use carrots from California where there's a recall due to e coli. I cooked them thoroughly and plan to cook them again today which is supposed to kill the bacteria. I am not a doctor or chemist so, please, do what you think is best with your carrots, but I wouldn't eat them raw. Who can afford to throw out what they just bought? The cutting board is scheduled to run through the dishwasher. I grew up a good part of my youth in California and I can attest there is nary a porta potty in the fields. Could that be part of the problem? Then there's the practice of using human waste as fertilizer, yes they do that too. What is happening with our food supplies. We need to go back to examining our growing and processing practices.