Lentils have been used for many thousands of years, and are a great source of protein and nutrients. The interesting combination of lentils and apricots makes this soup a little bit sweet and so tasty!

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Lentils
5 Cups Chicken or Vegetable stock (low salt)
400g can tomatoes
1/3 Cup Dried apricots, chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Olive oil (Extra virgin)
2 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp Cumin, ground
1 tsp Thyme, dried

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions, garlic and apricots.
2. Add the lentils and stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Stir through the tomatoes, cumin and thyme and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
4. Finally, add the lemon juice. Then place half the soup into a food processor and blend until smooth. 5. Return to the pan, heat again if necessary and it is ready to serve.

Notes & tips:

- You can use red lentils to enhance the sweetness, although they can be a little bit difficult to find in the supermarket.
- This recipe uses dried lentils, but feel free to reduce the cooking time and use canned lentils.
- Always check the cooking and preparation instructions with the lentils, and if need be, soak and cook accordingly.