Yield: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ cups peeled, diced onions
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
• ½ cup diced celery (with leaves)
• 1 cup diced carrots
• Ginger root 1″ piece.
• ¼ cup of organic chopped cilantro
• 1 cup of lentils (can be red, green or the gray French) sorted and rinsed
• 1 (3-inch) piece of Kombu* (good for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.)
• 6 cups water or vegetable stock
• ½ lemon, juiced and strained
• Sea salt black pepper to taste.
• 6 kale leaves, washed and torn by hand into small pieces

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed 3-5 quart soup pot.
• Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic, celery, carrots, and cilantro and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Sort through the lentils and discard any foreign matter. Rinse briefly in a strainer under cold running water.
• Add the lentils, ginger, kombu,* and 6 cups of water to the soup pot and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
• Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir in the kale.
• Simmer for 3 minutes.
• Serve garnished with scallion.

*Good for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Also has iodine.

(Note: All recipes should be reviewed to determine if the ingredients are appropriate for your condition.)