3-4 cups of diced vegetables. I use golden or chiogga beets, sweet potato (peeled) and winter squash, or any combination of these. You can substitute other root vegetables you like. Dice should be about the same size for all vegetables.

salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter or put olive oil in a large soup pot over medium low heat. Add the onion, and saute until it begins to soften. Add celery, half the carrots and scallions. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened, then add garlic, herbs and spices and saute for another minute.

Add chopped tomatoes and 6 cups of water or stock of choice (if you aren’t vegetarian, you can use chicken stock) Bring to a boil and add lentils. Stir, lower heat to a simmer. Cover and let cook around 20 minutes, until lentils have essentially fallen apart. If you have an immersion blender, you may want to remove the pot from the heat and puree the soup at this point, but it comes out great if you don’t, too.

Return pot to the heat. Add 1 t. salt, remaining carrots, diced vegetables and at least 10 grinds of pepper. Make sure the vegetables are covered by the liquid. If not, add some water or stock to cover. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

You can serve this over a spoonful of basmati rice, or with a dollop of yogurt if you like. It’s good just as it is.