Healthy Winter Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1 cup celery leaves
• 3 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100 g red lentils or borlotti beans or butter beans (or fagioli)
• 500 ml vegetable stock or chicken stock (preferably non salty)
• 400 g chopped tomatoes (tinned or self-prepared)
• 1 tablespoon mixed herbs
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. 1

   In a pot, place olive oil on a high heat, allow to heat up and then add the crushed garlic and the chopped onions. Turn to a medium heat. Stir until soft, but not brown. Add carrots, celery (NOT LEAVES!), lentils/beans and cherry tomatoes and stir in, allowing to absorb all the flavours.

2. 2

   After about 3-5 minutes stirring, allowing the flavours to blend together and the ingredients to soften slightly, add the vegetable stock.

3. 3

   I usually crush the stock cube, or sprinkle the stock powder over the vegetables and THEN add the water, but everybody will probably do this differently.

4. 4

   Stir again and place a lid over the pot. Allow to simmer for 10-20 minutes.

5. 5

   Add tinned chop tomatoes. Stir, and allow to reduce with the lid removed for 5-10 minutes.

6. 6

   10 minutes before serving, tear the celery leaves and stir them inches This will give a very pungent smell and will give the soup and exquisite taste.

7. 7

   Drizzle each portion with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and serve with chunky fresh bread or croutons.

8. 8

   Buon appetito!