Healthy Lentil Soup: Hearty and Packed with Spices

Ingredients

• 1 cup red or green lentils, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• A dollop of plain yogurt or coconut yogurt
• Crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat
• Toasted bread or pita on the side