Easy Lentil Crock Pot Soup

This recipe could certainly be made stove top- but I LOVE the chop and dump ease of the crock pot!  If you are looking for an easy, substantial soup recipe, look no further.  As with any soup the variations are endless!  This is just one way to make an easy, nutritious, slow-cooked-all-day, super delicious soup!

Easy Lentil Crock Pot Soup!

4 C water
4 C vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
2 C lentils
1 chopped onion
3 chopped garlic cloves
2 coarsely chopped carrots
2 coarsely chopped stalks of celery
1 lg. potato cubed

1/4 head of chopped cabbage (or use kale here)

1 14oz.can of chopped tomatoes

1 tsp. cumin

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. salt

ground pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne (or more)

1 Tbl balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 piece Kombu (optional)

Rinse lentils well.  Put all ingredients into the crock pot, except the salt and balsamic vinegar.  Salt will make the lentils harder, so wait to salt at the very end of cooking!  Stir well, and that's it! Walk away!  Cook on high for 4-6 hours, cook and low 8-10 hours.

For best results, soak lentils for hours, to overnight if you are going for the high 4-6 hours.  I never do, but they will be more tender if you do!

 I know these times sound very different, but I find crock pots cook at different temps.  My crock cooks hot/fast.  So, I go the lesser times stated.

If you use kale instead of the cabbage, put in at the end of cooking time.  On the low temp, put in the last 30 mins., on high put in the last 15 mins. or so.

I used some delicious "porchini mushroom salt" I bought on an afternoon out with my friend Jeanne.  It was a fun day thanks to St. Anthony... but my husband added much Tabasco sauce, subscribing  to the " I put that sh*t on everything", as did Madeline, and Julia and I added literally drops/drips of Shriracha sauce...

The options are endless!
Yours in health,
Natalie