I simply love making soups in the winter. Our bodies crave warming foods in the winter and soup is a wonderful way to warm up. Plus they are an AMAZING way to load up on veggies. It’s also important to mention that many soups, like this one, are a great weight loss tool because you are loading up on fibre and water. A soup like this one fills you up, leaving you satisfied without it being calorically dense.
My kids will often eat veggies via soup that may not otherwise eat. I try to have a soup ready when they get home. The soup serves as their after school snack. And with this recipe that’s easy to do because it’s been cooking all day and is ready by the time they get home.
2 onions, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 carrots, diced
1 large potato, diced
3 medium zucchini, diced
1 large sweet potato, diced
1 cup red lentils
1/2 cup short grain brown rice
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
8 cups water
Plus water or vegetable broth for sautéing
DIRECTIONS
- Sauté onions until they begin to brown in vegetable broth or water, about 5 minutes. Then add celery and sauté another five minutes.
- Place the sautéd onions and celery in your crockpot along with all the other vegetables, lentils, rice, bay leaves, dill and 8 cups of water.
- Set your crockpot on high for 6 hours.
- Simply open the lid, and stir up the contents. Add salt and pepper to your taste.