Smoky Sage Lentil Soup

I'm a huge fan of lentils. Not only are lentils very tasty, but they are also extremely healthy for you, being very high in dietary fiber, protein, iron, and folate.

On one of the vegetarian email groups I belong to, someone posted a recipe for a Lentil Sage Soup. Since sage is one of my favorite herbs to cook with, I knew right away this would be a fantastic recipe. This is my variation on it, and I've made a few slight changes. The liquid smoke added at the end gives a wonderful flavor to this rich soup, and complements the fresh sage perfectly.

*This is also my entry into this week's Antioxidant Rich Food Round up over at Sweetnick's Place*



Smoky Sage Lentil Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 c chopped vidalia onion
1 c chopped celery
1 c chopped carrots
3 cloves garlic
1/4 c fresh sage leaves, minced
2 (14.5 oz) cans vegetable broth
4 c water
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (16 oz) bag lentils, washed
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots, and saute 3-5 minutes. Add minced garlic and sage, and saute an additional 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until lentils are tender. Stir in liquid smoke and remove from heat. Serve with a thick crusty bread.