New Year's Resolution & Red Lentil Soup With Roasted Tomatoes

This is my first post in the New Year. This is my first post in a while!

As we welcomed the New Year we all made our resolutions. I have made one, too. My resolution is simple: to be resolute.

I will be resolute with thoughts in my head, but listen to the words of my heart more often; resolute about the destination, but enjoying the journey; resolute about what I must acquire, but continue doing best with what I have.

I will be resolute about every little detail in my life. All 1000+1 of them!

And I will be resolute with what I do best and learning along the way hoping that these little steps, repeated every day, will keep me in the right direction.

One of the things I do best (as I was told) is soup. That’s why I’m sharing this delicious soup recipe with you today. It is easy to make and perfect for a crispy-cold winter day. The only challenge here is to peal the tomatoes. You must not skip this step for tomato skin is tough and indigestible when cooked. It’s a labor of love! But if you rather skip the labor, you can use 8 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes. Just add it the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.

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Red Lentil Soup with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 8

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 medium celery stalks, chopped

1 medium (1/2 large) yellow onion, diced

2 cups red lentils, washed and drained

1 T spoon tomato paste

1 pint grape tomatoes

Few sprigs of thyme, divided

8 cups water/chicken broth

3 T spoons olive oil, divided

Salt+Pepper to taste

• Preheat the oven to 350°F; arrange washed grape tomatoes and couple of sprigs of thyme on a covered with foil cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; roast for 20 minutes;
• While tomatoes are roasting, in a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat; add onions, carrots and celery and cook until tender. Add in tomato paste, and remaining thyme leaves (discard stems) and cook for another minute;
• Stir in washed lentils and add water/broth, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat adding salt and pepper to taste and let the soup simmer for about 40 minutes or until lentils are cooked;

• When the tomatoes are done, wrap them in the foil that was covering the cookie sheet, let cool for 5 minutes. Peal the skin from tomatoes and add them to the soup with the oil and thyme that is in the foil. Let all stand together for 5 minutes;
• Serve with warm bread to 6-8 people.