Slow-Cooker French Lentil Soup

I don’t usually get sick anymore, and if I do it’s not for an extended period of time, but sure enough, right at the start of my Christmas Break I was stricken with a sinus head cold which turned into a sinus infection. Nothing says comfort when you’re sick than lots of blankets, a humidifier, hot tea and lots of soup. And while I know chicken is the go-to soup, I didn’t have any chicken on hand and I wasn’t feeling up to trekking to the market for it. So I improvised and made this hearty (and “souper” easy) French Lentil soup with my slow cooker since I was feeling more up to burying myself under blankets than standing over a pot.

French Lentil Soup

This is a great soup to use as a pantry clean out when you have smidgens of dried lentils here and there but not enough of one type to make an actual meal. I used a mixture of dried green, brown and Puy lentils because that’s what I happened to have in my pantry but you can use whatever you like. I just would avoid red lentils for this dish though, as they aren’t whole lentils and will cook much faster than their whole counterparts if you are using a mixture of lentils.

Lentils are a great source of iron and are loaded with fibre which can help maintain blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol. They are also chock full of minerals like magnesium, folate and other B-vitamins and also contain protein to boot. These little guys are nutritional powerhouses and at $2.50-$3.00 for 1 lb. of organic dried lentils (about 2 cups dried), they are super affordable.

If you don’t have a slow-cooker, you will need to do this in a traditional pot and saute the veggies first before adding the lentils and broth and simmering it for several hours, stirring occasionally.

Slow-Cooker French Lentil Soup (serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small organic onions, chopped
• 2-3 organic celery stalks (leaves are fine too), chopped 
• 1 large organic carrot, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. organic dried thyme
• 4 cups (or more) vegetable broth or filtered water with 2 tsp. Herbamare added
• 1 3/4 cups dried whole lentils, rinsed, drained
• 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• balsamic vinegar, for garnish
• salt and pepper, to taste

How to Make It:

1. Toss all of the above ingredients in the slow cooker. Turn it on high to be finished cooking in about 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours (yes, it’s that easy)!
2. Using an immersion blender, pulse the mixture until desired consistency is reached. I like mine still chunky with some whole lentils and vegetables still visible.
3. Ladle into bowls and garnish the mixture with a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar. Personally I feel this really adds a nice depth of flavour and I wouldn’t omit it.
4. This freezes nicely, so once the soup has cooled slightly, ladle into glass leak proof containers and freeze to enjoy later when you have no time.