Lentil Soup

Do you love them or hate them?  Or like me have you tried them only once or twice and usually by accident?  Lentils I mean, not soups in general.

A few of my friends talk about eating lentils all the time and how good they are.  To me they always looked a bit like the split peas used for making Split Pea Soup *gag*.  Definitely not a favorite of mine!  However, since I got the bad news about my creeping up Cholesterol I have been trying to make some food choices that will be better for me in the long run.  Getting away from starchy potatoes and pasta seems like a good place to start.

So I give you Lentil Soup, or at least my version of lentil soup since I can't help myself, and I seem to modify every recipe I get my hands on. It's an impossibility I tell you!  Probably why I enjoy cooking far more than baking...It's so freeing to be able to just throw anything that comes to mind in and trying it, instead of following the recipe word for word.

(Chicken) Lentil Soup a la Mel

2 cups Chicken Stock + 1 cup Water - original recipe just called for water
1 boneless skinless Chicken breast (take out later and chop or shred and add back to pot) - No chicken in original recipe
1 med Onion, chopped
2 stalks Celery, sliced
3/4 cup green Cabbage, sliced thin - not in original recipe,called for ½ cup fresh spinach, sliced to be added at the end but I had none.
½ cup Turnip, chopped small - not in original recipe
1 (540ml) can Aylmer Accents Italian Chunky cut Tomatoes
1 tbsp Italian seasoning - original recipe called for 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil & 1 bay leaf
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1¼ cups green Lentils - original recipe called for 2 cups
Salt & Pepper, to taste

I tossed everything but the lentils into a pot and brought it to a boil. Then added the lentils and reduced it to a simmer. Simmer at least 1 hour or until lentils and veggies are tender.