Lemony Lentil & Chickpea Soup

Dice one medium yellow onion and place it in a bowl.

Dice two ribs of celery and add them to the bowl with the onion.

Peel three garlic cloves and set them aside.

Roughly chop fresh thyme to get two tablespoons.

Roughly chop two packed cups of baby spinach and set aside.

Zest and juice one large lemon. You should have about 1 tablespoon of zest and 3 tablespoons of juice.

Rinse 1.5 cups of red lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and pick over for any debris.

Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the diced onion and celery. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent.

Mince the garlic directly into the pot and sauté for another minute until fragrant.

Add the rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, drained chickpeas, fresh thyme, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper to the pot.

Bring the soup to a simmer, then cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the lentils have softened and started to break apart.

Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.

Serve the soup hot, garnished with more fresh thyme and a sprinkle of black pepper if desired.

For meal prep, let the soup cool and store it in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.