Vegetable & Lentil Soup

Then you'll see how great it looks, steaming and full of colourful vegetables, like pumpkin, mushrooms and carrots. But wait, the best is yet to come....The taste. We used a slow cooker, if you use stove top use the smallest hob on the lowest heat level.

This recipe is low fat, low sodium, low sugar, high protein, dairy free.

Ingredients

• 2 onions
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• 3 cups beef stock, salt reduced
• 2 cups water
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
• ¼ pumpkin cut into bite size pieces
• 1 cup whole green lentils, dried
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 4 button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced (aka corgette)
• 1 tbsp. *Seasoning* Vegemite (marmite or Worcestershire sauce)
• Optional to add 1 can diced tomatoes if desired
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Set slow cooker on high.
2. Heat a non stick fry pan and saute onions for 5 mins. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add to the slow cooker, then add the dried lentils.
3. Add the stock, bay leaf, thyme and herbs, Vegemite (or similar) carrots, potatoes, and extra water. Simmer for 20 minutes then add pumpkin, zucchini, celery, mushrooms and tomatoes (optional).
4. Season with salt & pepper and simmer for 2-3 hours depending on your slow cooker. Once the lentils are soft and pumpkin cooked this will be ready to serve.