Lentil Soup( Shorobat Hadas)

This is a comfort food to me and while its a twist on many of the published soups of its kind, this is how  my mom made it. Completely vegan too.

My husband brought home  a huge bag of spinach that our Amish neighbors at the farm were growing in a green house. He brought home enough for a couple of meals but not enough to make spinach pie, which I am not only craving but want to show you all! Anyhow, you can use frozen spinach if that is all you have around.

• 1 cup lentils (washed and soaked for at last half an hour)
• 2 onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups of fresh chopped spinach
• 2 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 7 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper (decrease or increase to taste)
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin (to taste but the more the merrier in my opinion)
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil for sauteing (about 2 Tablespoons)
• Lemon juice for condiment

Saute onions, garlic and spices in olive oil until onions are soft. Keep stirring!

Add the drained lentils and 7 cups of water

Bring to a boil then lower heat to a  simmer for one hour, covered.

Add spinach and tomato.

Continue to simmer for another half an hour. Adjust seasonings to preference.

Serve with a dash of lemon juice.

I actually made a Mexican style cornbread to go with this (non vegan). Its a fantastic pairing.  I added roasted Poblano peppers to a standard recipe. If you do this, please make sure your cornmeal is organic!

Photo coming later today.