Hearty Vegetable Soup

I love this soup, because it can be whipped up quickly on the stove, or simmered all day in a crockpot. It has all the good stuff – veggies, protein, grains, and that ability to warm you from the inside out.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small cooking onion, chopped finely

1 large carrot, sliced thinly

2 large stalks of celery, sliced thinly

Spinach

2 Potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 cup dried split peas

1/2 cup French green lentils

1/2 cup rice

Can of black beans, rinsed thoroughly

Can of diced tomatoes, drained

6 cups water or vegetable broth

Instructions

If you are cooking on a stovetop, add the oil and onions into the pot first, and sauté until translucent over medium heat. Add the potatoes, carrots and celery, and stir occasionally for 3 – 5 minutes.

Add in the beans, peas, tomatoes, lentils, rice and water or broth. Continue with medium heat until the liquid comes to a gentle rolling boil, and then reduce heat to low.

Allow soup to simmer until vegetables, rice and lentils soften. Add in the spinach, cook for 5-10 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and your soup is ready to go!

If you are cooking in a crockpot, simply add all of the ingredients except for the spinach and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3. Add the spinach in 10 minutes before serving.