Hearty Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Kale

This is a classic, chunky, forgiving soup. It uses brown lentils and whatever vegetables are in your fridge. Stir through a handful of kale at the end for extra green power. Freeze it in individual portions and you’ll have a gut‑loving lunch ready in minutes.

Ingredients (Serves 6–8):

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 200g brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1.5 litres vegetable stock
• 100g kale, tough stems removed and roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Grated Parmesan or a drizzle of olive oil to serve

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Cook the onion, carrots, and celery gently for 10 minutes until softened.
2. Add the garlic and thyme, cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the lentils, tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer partially covered for 35–40 minutes until the lentils are tender.
4. Stir in the kale and let it wilt for 3–4 minutes. Season generously. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan or a drizzle of good olive oil.

Why it’s gut‑friendly: Brown lentils and vegetables provide a huge variety of prebiotic fibres. Kale is a cruciferous superstar.

Freezing: Cool completely, pour into freezer bags or containers, and freeze flat. Reheat gently from frozen.