One of the major hiccups in my quest to prepare and eat healthy meals each day

is that my husby doesn’t come home each night for dinner

{those of you that are also fire wives, have husbands in the military, or that travel can most likely relate}.

I do my best to prepare meals for my children that are balanced and nutritious,

but let’s face it….

there are nights when they’re happiest and most content

with chicken nuggets or wholewheat pasta with parmesan!

I don’t usually eat the same dinner as my kids

{partly because I am vegetarian and the rest of my family is not}.

There are many nights that I make the kids a dish to eat…

and then don’t have the energy to prepare myself a decent meal.

One of the ways I have found to help tackle this issue is by making homemade soups!

I love making soups, because you almost can’t mess up!

Just like my mother,

I add a little bit of this…

and a pinch of that…

and it always turns out to be delicious! 

This recipe for

{Homemade Lentil Vegetable Soup}

is perfect because I can make it at my leisure during the day and then eat it when I am ready.

It keeps extremely well in the refrigerator for days on end.

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Lentils have become a mainstay in my diet and I must admit…

one of my favorite healthy, high-fiber foods.

Lucky for us we have a Trader Joe’s not too far away.

I buy most of our groceries there each week.

I have several go-to items

{which I promise to share with you in a later post},

but the pre-cooked, ready-to-eat, lentils are amongst the best if you are looking for a nourishing,

hearty and easy to prepare food

{you’ll find these in the refrigerated section near the produce}.

These little lentils are packed with nutrients and are the cornerstone of this recipe!

{Ingredients}

* 2 tablespoons olive oil

* 1 cup chopped onion

* 2 cloves chopped garlic

* 1 cup peeled & chopped carrots

* 3/4 cup chopped celery

* 1 large can diced tomatoes {I use the organic ones from Trader Joe’s}

* 1 tablespoon of 21 Seasoning Salute {also from Trader Joe’s} or your favorite mix of seasonings

* salt & freshly ground pepper {to taste}

* 1 package of Trader Joe’s ready-to-eat lentils {or 1 pound of rinsed lentils}

* 6 cups of fresh water or vegetable broth

* 1/2 cup of quinoa or rice {depending on your preference}

* 1 cup of freshly grated parmesan

{Directions}

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion, garlic, carrots and celery.

Saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices.

Simmer until the juices evaporate slightly and the tomatoes break down,

stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Add the lentils and the quinoa/rice.

Mix to coat.

Add the water/broth and stir.

Add in ’21 Seasoning Salute’ or seasonings of your choice

{you can be a little creative here}.

Bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 20-30 minutes

{20 minutes if using the pre-cooked lentils, about 30 minutes if using dry lentils}.

 Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls.

Sprinkle with fresh parmesan and serve warm!

I hope you decide to make my favorite soup recipe!

I promise it is quick, easy, and completely tasty!

Each healthful bite is packed with nutrients that your body will love!

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Just in case you were wondering what my silly four were doing while mama was cooking…

{Here is a Behind the Scenes Look}

Finner has a slight obsession with Sophia’s Hello Kitty sunglasses!!

Our weekend pajama morning! Mr. Finn saying, “cheese!!”

An everyday occurrence in our house… a sword fight, with Miss Blue stuck in the middle!

My sweet & sassy little sunshine… stick in hand {probably to protect herself from her three brothers}!!