For some reason I grabbed a few bags of lentils at Target the last time I went. You know… in case the world ends during this pandemic and we need lentils. Totally logical…

I remembered making slow-cooker soup from a recipe in my favorite slow-cooker recipe book (yes, I have one… I asked for it for Christmas a long time ago and yes, it’s amazing, so don’t knock it!). I looked for the recipe and it wasn’t quite what I remembered it being, so I tweaked it a bit this time. I cut a few corners, too, because… why not?! This soup really doesn’t yield very much, so if you like leftovers like I do, double the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and drained well
• 1 medium onion, chopped (or use frozen chopped onion for easy prep!)
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup diced, cooked ham (or more if you prefer!)
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• Shredded or grated parmesan for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Add lentils, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, lemon zest, ground red pepper, salt, chicken broth, and water to the slow cooker. Stir well and cook 2-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low heat.
2. Add ham and spinach to slow cooker and cook an additional 10 minutes on high heat.
3. Serve and enjoy!