I've been looking for an easy way to incorporate lentils into evening meals - except every recipe I find takes forever to cook...until I found this soup. I could easily get this recipe onto the table in under an hour - especially if I cooked the veggies the night before and tucked them into the fridge for the following evening.
If you choose to do this in the slow cooker, I would set it for about 4-6 hours, and check the lentil tenderness at the 4 hour mark to see how it is doing.
Italian Lentil Soup With Cabbage
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (1/2 cup)
1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups water
1/2 head small cabbage, cored and cut into 1" pieces
1 c dry lentils, rinsed and drained
1 c organic tomato puree, low or no sodium
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons stevia ( or another sugar-like substance )
2 tablespoons crushed dried oregano / Italian Seasoning blend
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a large saucepan cook carrots, celery, and onion in hot olive oil about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in water, cabbage, lentils, tomato puree, sugar, salt, oregano, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until lentils are very soft. Ladle into bowls. Makes 5 servings.