Easy tomato and lentil soup

This is my most favourite soup recipe- It's also very easy, but filling and a great way to use lentils and add them into your diet.

Prep time: 5 mins (yes again honestly!)

Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Makes 4 bowls

Ingredients:

-x1 teaspoon olive oil/oil for frying

-x1 large or x2 medium size onions (white or red)

-x2 gloves of garlic

-x1 teaspoon ground cumin

-a packet of fresh basil (or dry)

-x1 tea spoon of tomato puree paste

-x2 medium sized tomatoes or 5-6 cherry tomatoes

-x1 tin of chopped tomatoes (nice to have with herbs in already)

-x1 stock cube mixed with 1L of hot water

-x1 cup/mug of dried red lentils - washed before

Options:

Pepper to taste

Milk to stir in at the end

Instructions:

1- Slice and chop the large onion/ x2 medium sized onions into small chunks

2-Add teaspoon of oil to a large pan and fry the onions until soft.

3- Chop the x2 garlic gloves into small pieces and add to the pan to fry with the onion

4- Add x1 teaspoon of tomato puree

5- Add a teaspoon of cumin

6-Chop 1/2 packet of fresh basil and add to the mixture

7-Add the fresh tomatoes and cook approximately 5 minutes with all the ingredients in total or until everything is soft

8- Wash 1 cup of dried red lentils and add the dry lentils to the mixture

9- Add x1 tin of chopped tomatoes plus 1L of hot water mixed with a stock cube

10-Bring to the boil, stir well and then simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes (or until the lentils have turned soft and more of a yellow colour)

Tip- don't let the mixture go dry! If it does add small amounts of hot water and stir

11-Poor the soup mixture into a blender and mix well. The soup may be thick, so add hot water or a smash of milk to make to your desired thickness.

12- Serve to a bowl and add fresh basil

Next recipe...Christmas pie!

Namaste

Ruth

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