Tomato and Lentil Soup

With the leftover lentils I had from last night, I tried out this soup recipe. Traditionally eaten in Greece on 'fasting' days, when no meat is allowed, I can hardly fathom why, since this dish hardly makes you feel you're missing out on anything! It's hearty and delicious - serve with a slice of crusty bread on a still-chilly March night.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot, 1/4 cup finely chopped celery and one minced garlic clove; cook for 10 minutes.

Add 2 and 3/4 cups water, 3/4 cups dried lentils (again, I chose standard green lentils, though any variety would do), a teaspoon and a half chopped fresh dill, 1 bay leaf, 1 dried red chile pepper, and 6 tablespoons (about 4 ounces) of tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in another teaspoon and a half of chopped dill, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. black pepper, and a teaspoon and a half of balsamic vinegar. Discard the bay leaf and the dried chile pepper.

Ladle 1 cup of soup into each of 3 bowls. Top each with 2 tablespoons of crumbled vegan feta cheese (such as Sunergia - their Mediterranean Herb variety and their Lemon-Oregano variety both blend well with the other flavors in this dish).

Each serving is 280 calories.

Cost:
onion $0.44
celery $1.99
dried red chile pepper $0.16
tomato sauce $0.79
vegan feta $4.49