Lentil Soup

On my quest for healthier foods, I have falled upon and in love with lentils. Such a simple little bean/legume, but packs a big punch. Lentils are filling, taste great and are super healthy. I searched online for an easy lentil soup recipe. Apparently, lentil soup really is outrageously easy to make, so I found thousands of recipes. Of course, I pretty much combined the stuff I liked from a bunch of different ones and came up with my own recipe.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery, washed and chopped (including the leaves)
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2 pinches of salt
Fresh ground pepper (as much or as little as you like)
1 liter of vegetable broth
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 1/4 cups of green lentils
1/4 teaspoon thyme

Directions:
Heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery - cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat or until onions are becoming translucent. Add garlic, salt and pepper - cook for 2 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, lentils and thyme - cover and cook on medium for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 20-25 minutes until lentils are soft. Remove 1 1/2 cups of the soup (broth and lentils/veggies) - puree and return to pot, stirring well. Cover and cook on low for another 10 minutes. Enjoy!!