Lentil And Brown Rice Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 5 cups chicken broth or 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 (2 lb) can tomatoes, drained,reserving juice,and chopped
• 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into â¼ inch pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 lb smoked sausage (optional)

Recipe

• 1 combine broth, 3 cups water, lentils, rice, tomatoes with reserved juice, carrots, onion, celery, herbs and sausage and bring to boil (do not add parsley and vinegar).
• 2 simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 45-55 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender.
• 3 stir in parsley and vinegar and season to taste.
• 4 freezer note: i often make up a double batch of this delicious soup, freezing half the batch, to provide me with a quick, nutritious dinner further on down the line when time is short and you don't want to resort to ordering in. just defrost in microwave, reheat well and serve