This hearty soup is a must if you are traveling (and have access to a kitchen). With few ingredients and a low prep-time, lentil soup gives you the nutrition you need to keep up with those vacation activities. Lentils are a small but nutritionally-valuable member of the legume family. They are a great source of fiber which helps in managing metabolic disorders like diabetes.

Fiber can prevent blood sugar levels from rising after a meal, and has been known to lower bad cholesterol levels.

Lentils are an excellent source of molybdenum, folate, manganese, iron, protein, phosphorus, copper, thiamin and potassium; and they are low in calories with virtually no fat. A vegan superfood!

Makes 6-7 cups of soup. Enjoy with salad or bread.

• 2 cup red lentils

• 2 stalks celery (sliced)

• 2 large carrots (diced)

• ½ yellow onion (diced)

• 4 Shiitake mushrooms (sliced)

• *Optional ½ cup red or white beans (soaked and cooked)

• 3 Tablespoons oil

• 6 cups veggie broth or water (or combination of both)

• The juice from 1-2 lemons

• 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

• *Optional: curry, masala, Ras-El-Hanout, or lentil soup seasonings; cayenne pepper or paprika

Dice half of a yellow onion and slice the Shiitake mushrooms. Heat a deep pan and add oil when hot. Sauté onion and mushrooms until the onions are translucent.

Add sliced celery and heat until it is translucent as well.

Rinse and look for stones in two cups of red lentils. Add diced carrots and and red lentils to the pot. Heat for a few minutes.

Add the veggie broth or water (or a combination of both). Cook on high heat for about twenty minutes; then reduce the heat and simmer for over an hour or until the lentils have broken apart. Season while cooking.

After thirty minutes of simmering, add the soaked and cooked (or canned) red and white beans.Salt to taste as needed. Add the lemon at the very last moment and let the whole thing rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!