I had a cold last week. I'm better now, but there were a few days there when I was pretty much certain that I was going to choke to death on my own snot.
(lovely, just lovely, steph...)
Anyway. I really wanted a soup to soothe my throat and to make me feel loved and taken care of. Since I'm home during the day with an almost-three-year-old, there wasn't anybody available to make me soup, so I did it myself (I promise I washed my hands really well first!).
But by the time it was finished cooking, I was back to bed, and was served ---- complete with a Thomas the Tank spoon.
I love my family.
and you'll love this soup. It's easy to throw together, uses household staples, and freezes and reheats VERY well. I kept it vegetarian, but Adam suggests I throw in a hambone next time. Sliced smoked sausage would be awesome, too.
If you'd like a soupier soup, add more broth 30 minutes or so before serving.
The Ingredients.
serves 6
2 cups lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (with juice!)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups hearty torn greens, like kale or chard (if you'd prefer spinach, stir in before serving)
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (optional: add another 1 to 2 cups of broth if you'd like before serving)
The Directions.
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the rinsed lentils into the bottom of an empty insert. Add the diced celery, carrot, onion, and garlic (if you have a food processor, it might be helpful to use). Add the entire can of diced tomatoes, and add the seasonings and torn greens. Stir in the broth (I used chicken, but any broth will work just fine).
Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the lentils are soft. If you'd like to stretch this to feed more, or for a thinner soup, feel free to add more broth.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired, and a hunk of garlic bread.
The Verdict.
I ate this for all my meals 3 days in a row and was HEALED(!) from the WORST cold, ever!
that, and I may have taken some Nyquil....
other minestrone soups you might like:
Italian Minestrone
Clean-Out-The-Pantry Minestrone
Pesto Minestrone
Traditional Minestrone
In case you missed it, I'm fortunate to be able to offer an updated Ninja Cooking System package to you, and we are still running daily giveaways to help with your holiday shopping!
have a wonderful week!
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