Meatless Monday on the Fourth of July, I decided to make an easy lentil soup.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium celery stalk, small dice

1 medium carrot, peeled and small dice

1/2 medium onion, small dice

3 garlic cloves, minced

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 quart low sodium vegetable broth

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices

1 1/4 cups lentils (any color except red)

1 bayleaf

1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh Thyme leaves

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 ounces spinach leaves

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook until softened. Then add the garlic cook till you can smell it. Then season with salt and pepper.

Add the broth, tomatoes, lentils, bay leaf and thyme and stir. Cover and bring to a simmer about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat and continue cooking covered about 15 minutes more.

Taste and add more seasoning, if needed. Stir in the vinegar. Then I used an emulsifier.Then I added in the spinach

It is better the next day! (Oh and I added Tumeric and some cumin)