Crock Pot Lentil Soup

By Nonna

one of the five finalists in Emeril's Slow-Cooker Challenge.

Ingredients

• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 ribs of celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 8 cups water (or vegetable broth)
• 2 cups lentils, rinsed
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 bunch kale, washed and chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Put all of these ingredients in the slow cooker. Set it on low if you are leaving it all day, high if you are starting it around lunchtime.
About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup, add the last four ingredients.
You can add potatoes if you want more bulk. Add cubed potatoes at the beginning of cooking if you do.
Tomatoes are also good in this dish. Add one 14 1/2 ounce can of diced tomatoes at the beginning of cooking if you like. I don't use the tomatoes because my husband is allergic to them.
This lentil soup is everything people want now. It's loaded with nutrition, easy to make, inexpensive, delicious, low fat and vegetarian. As a mother of three and a graduate student, this soup is very handy.
The leftovers (even better the second day!) are a healthy hot meal I send in Thermos to school for lunch. My boys especially like the kale.
I once had a party at my home, and being concerned about having enough food, I threw this soup together in my slow cooker then finished the rest of my party prep. Surprisingly, this afterthought was the favorite food of the day!