Yellow Lentil Soup with Ham

In a country where dal (lentil soup spiced with tumeric, garlic, onion, cumin, ...) is a staple at most meals, it is refreshing to find a different way to cook tasty lentils. This recipe is packed with enough vegetables and ham to make it a hearty and a satisfying meal on its own.

It is also easily made vegetarian: just omit the ham from the recipe and it will still pack a protein punch with all the lentils.

If you have picky young children, soups are a great way to incorporate more veggies into their diet. Although I admit my one and a half year old is far from picky, she practically inhaled this soup and punctuated her spoonfuls with "mmmm" and "yummm" sounds. I was thrilled to witness how much goodness she was ingesting.

Yellow Lentil Soup with Ham

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried yellow lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fist-sized piece of cooked ham (or about 1 1/2 cups diced)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• pepper
• 4 cups water (or more)
• 2 chicken/veg boullion cubes (or homemade chicken or veg broth, and substitute this instead of the water)
• 1 can tomatoes, diced
• Optional *for extra greens, add 1 cup chopped spinach or kale

Directions

1. Sautee the onions, celery and garlic for 2-3 minutes in 1 tbsp butter or olive oil.
2. Add the piece of ham, the herbs, the water, the lentils and the bouillon. Simmer covered on low, 1 hour, until lentils are soft, adding more water or broth if necessary.
3. Remove the piece of ham and dice into small pieces. Remove the bay leaf.
4. Return the ham to the pot and add the carrots, tomatoes and spinach if necessary. Add pepper to taste.
5. Simmer on low for another 20-30 minutes until carrots are soft.

Serve with a green salad and fresh bread or cheese muffin.