Slow Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup

From inthekitchenwithkath.com

(Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe)

My Vitamix worked really well when I blended the chickpeas. If you don’t have a powerful blender but do have a food processor, I’m sure you could use that. It probably won’t be quite as creamy, but it will still work and taste delicious.

Serves 5 (about 1½ cups each)

A bit of oil for the slow cooker

4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth (I actually used 2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon Vegan Certified No Chicken Base and 4 cups of water.)

1 cup uncooked green lentils (I used French “lentilles du Puy”)

1 cup chopped yellow onion

¾ cup chopped carrots

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or ½ - ¾ teaspoon table salt)

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 thyme sprigs

4 garlic cloves, minced

.

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

¾ cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

.

2 cups thinly sliced lacinato kale

½ teaspoon sherry or red wine vinegar

1. Put a small amount of oil in the slow cooker and rub it around the interior with a paper towel.

2. Put the broth, lentils, onion, carrots, cumin, salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic in the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 7 hours.

3. Put the chickpeas, water, olive oil, and lemon juice in a high speed blender and blend until it is smooth.

4. Add the chickpea mixture and the kale to the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 30 additional minutes.

5. Stir in the vinegar and serve.