Orange is the new green - Carrot, Lentil soup

This is not a fancy soup, it's very a straight forward yet filling and nutritious soup. Only 5 ingredients and water are required. You can use fresh herbs to change the flavour profile.

You might know that carrots are healthy but why? Well it's because they contain a nutrient called carotenoids (named after carrots), which is a type of vitamin A. Carotenoids can be found in all orange, yellow and deep green veggies and some fruits. Carrots health benefits are perhaps best known for their benefit on eye health. That's due to the carotenoids, which is also an antioxidants  and has anti-inflammatory properties. So get your orange on.  Start adding more color to your meals, orange is the new green!

Ingredients soup to fill 4 medium sized bowls:
- 4 medium sized carrots
- 1 dl red lentils, rinsed
- 1 veggie or chicken stock cube*
- 1 medium sized yellow onion
- drizzle of cooking oil
- fresh herb choices; 2-3 sage leaves, 2-4 stalks of dill, small handful of parsley, a few leaves of rosemary
- 5-6 dl water

*Make sure to use a stock cube that isn't loaded with extra salt or other ingredients you don't recognise or can't pronounce. This includes any E numbers.

1. Begin by peeling and chopping your carrots, and onion. Keep the carrots at a 3cm size while the onion 1cm cubes.
2. In a pan large enough to hold the soup add a little cooking oil, and the onions and carrots. Fry on a low heat for approximately 4-5min. If you choose to use sage, the chop into thin slivers and add to the last few minutes of frying the onions and carrots. 
3. Then add the rinsed lentils, stock cube and water. Bring to a boil and then turn down so it's simmering. 
4. Leave to simmer for 30minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if you find necessary.  Then blend in a blender. 
5. If you have chosen another herb than sage, then chop it to a desirable size, and add this to the blended soup. And serve. 

A simple dinner or lunch with lots of goodness in it.