#39 Green Lentils and Spinach Soup

Today's soup is a very light, very low in fat and quite fast to make. Nothing is fried in the oil, but instead the oil is delicately infused in the boiled vegetables for richer taste.
Alternatively you can add Indian spices to achieve intense and warming flavour, or serve with crumbled feta cheese or shavings of cheddar.

Serves 4:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 carrots sliced in rounds
200g green (Puy) lentils
1.25 l hot chicken or vegetable stock
100g spinach leaves, washed
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 green and 1/4 red peppers sliced

Method:

Wash and rinse the lentils well under cold water. Place in a pan, cover with the stock and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes and add the sliced carrots, spinach, crushed garlic and the thyme. Boil for more 10 minutes, add the olive oil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the spices, simmer for more 5-6 minutes and remove from the heat.

Serve hot.