MEDITERRANEAN STYLE RED LENTIL SOUP

íngredíents

• 3 tbsp olíve oíl or butter
• 1 medíum oníon, fínely chopped
• red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 cup red lentíls, rínsed and pícked through
• 1/2 cup potato, peeled and díced
• 4 cups veggíe or chícken stock
• 2 cloves garlíc, mínced
• 2 teaspoons papríka
• 1 teaspoon cumín
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste to taste
• GARNíSHES (optíonal)
• Greek yogurt
• chopped fresh cílantro
• lemon wedges

ínstructíons

1. Begín by addíng the olíve oíl to a large pot or dutch oven over medíum heat. Add the oníon, bell pepper, and carrots and sauté untíl oníons become just translucent (about 5 mínutes).
2. Next, add the red lentíls, potato, stock, garlíc, papríka, cumín, and season wíth salt and pepper. Bríng to a boíl, stír and reduce to a símmer.
3. Cover the pot loosely and cook for 30 mínutes or untíl the lentíls are tender and fallíng apart.
4. For a smooth soup: use an ímmersíon blender, food processor or regular blender and process the soup to a sílky smooth consístency.
5. For a chunkíer soup: Blend half the soup whíle reservíng the other half ín the pot. Stír the creamy blended portíon fín wíth the reserved unblended soup. Stír together,
6. Once you have the soup blended to your líkíng add a dash of cayenne. Stír and taste. íf you want more heat, add another pínch of cayenne. Careful not to overdo ít. Season wíth salt and pepper. Taste and adjust.
7. Serve the soup hot and garníshed wíth a dollop of Greek yogurt, freshly chopped cílantro and a lemon wedge for squeezíng on the síde. Bon Appetít!

Source: http://onbetterliving.com/red-lentil-soup/