Lentil Minestrone

I promise this tastes better than it looks.

With that said, this is my go-to soup recipe.  I love thick hearty soups as the weather cools down, so I tend to overfill my soups with vegetables and pasta. Feel free to reduce any amounts here if you prefer something a little lighter.

As an added bonus, cute baby pictures included:

Ingredients:
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced in half moons
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup sliced carrot
• 28 ounces diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 russet potato, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups dry brown lentils
• 1/2 cup orzo pasta
• 1 tbsp basil and parsley, or 3 tbsp fresh
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Saute onions in olive oil over low heat for 20 minutes until very soft and starting to brown. Add carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, basil, and parsley and cook for another 5 minutes.
2.  Stir in vegetable broth, lentils, peas, and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until potatoes and lentils are fully cooked.
3. Add orzo and continue to simmer until orzo is fully cooked. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

Tags: food, lunch, minestrone, recipe, soup, vegan, vegetarian