French Lentil Soup

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth (preferrably low-sodium)
1 1/4 cup lentils, rinsed, soaked in water overnight, and drained
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon herbes de provence

Note: Herbes de Provence is a french mix of herbs, it is similar to italian seasonings except it has in addition lemon peel and lavender, you can find it in most supermarkets.

Method

• Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat, add onions, celery and carrots and saute until they begin to brown (about 15 minutes). Add lentils, broth, tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low or medium-low (depending on your pot), cover and simmer for around 35 minutes or until lentils are done.
• Transfer 2 to 3 cups of almost all solids to a blender and puree. Return the puree to the pot, add water or broth if the soup is too thick at that time. Serve.