Recipe Name Hearty Lentil Soup with Spinach Submitted by dbcarlson Recipe Description Quantity 9 Quantity Unit cup Prep Time (minutes) 20 Cook Time (minutes) 40 Ready In (minutes) 60

Ingredients Amount Measure Ingredient 3 slices raw bacon, cooked and drained of fat 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 large (7-1/4" to 8-1/2" long) carrots diced 3 cloves garlic minced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 can (14 oz), ready-to-serve Tomatoes, canned, organic 1 leaf bay leaf 1 cup green lentils, rinsed and picked over 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 4 fliud ounces white cooking wine 4 1/2 cups chicken broth 1 1/2 cups (8 fl oz) water 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1/2 package (10 oz) Baby Spinach Leaves 1 teaspoon thyme fresh, minced Steps Sequence Step 1 Fry bacon in a large stock pot over medium- high heat until crisp. Remove bacon to drain and pour off bacon grease, wiping out pot with paper towel. 2 Add olive oil to pan and heat. Add the onion and carrots; cook stirring occasionallyh, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme; cook until fragrant,about 30 seconds. Stir in the lentils, salt and pepper to taste; cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook until the vegetables are softened and the lentils have darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. 3 Uncover, increase the heat to high, add the wine, and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken broth and water; bring to a boil, cover partially and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the lentils are tender but still hold theri shap, 30 to 35 minutes; discard the bay leaf. 4 Puree 3 cups of the soup in a blender until smooth, then return to the pot. Stir in the vinegar and heat the soup over medium-low about 5 minutes. 5 Add the spinach to the soup. Continue to heat the soup, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes; serve.