2cupspacked chopped kale leavesRemove the stems before chopping. Baby spinach also works in this recipe.
1lemonjuiced
Instructions
In a Dutch oven or soup pot, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the carrots, celery, onion, and sweet potato to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to sweat, about 5 minutes. Stir in the the minced garlic cloves and saute for 1 more minute. Finally, add the whole thyme sprigs and lentils.
Pour the broth over the ingredients, and cover the pot with a lid. Bring the soup to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to a lively simmer. Simmer the soup for about 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils and vegetables are soft. Remove the soup from the heat, and add the salt and pepper to taste. I do NOT add salt to my homemade broth, so I usually add about 3 teaspoons of salt to this soup. I recommend adding 1 teaspoon of salt at a time, until you reach the desired flavor. Remove the thyme stems.
Add the chopped kale. After about 2 minutes, the kale should wilt in the hot soup. Squeeze in the lemon juice, and stir.