There is something so hearty and comforting about lentil soup.  And, there is something about taking just a few minutes to prepare a soup on these cold, snowy mornings and coming back at the end of the day to a warm, thick, velvety and delicious soup.  Ordinary lentils really have that magical texture, firm yet creamy.  Adding vegetables to the ingredient list just takes lentil soup to a whole new level.

For this soup, I used the most common brown lentil .  It has the seed hull intact and is most suitable for salads and soups that require the lentil to retain its shape.   If you are short on time, you can use red lentils, instead.   It will cut down on the cooking time and still yield a hearty and delicious soup with a less defined texture to the lentil base.

INGREDIENTS
one bag lentils
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
dash of pepper
3-4 garlic cloves, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 parsnip, cut into thin slices
1 package mushrooms, sliced thin
4 stalks celery, sliced thin
1 onion, diced
1 zucchini, diced
water

celery leaves, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Place lentils, vegetables and seasonings into a crockpot. Fill crockpot 3/4 to top with water. Cook on high from morning to evening. If the soup is too thick, add up to a cup of water and stir well. Garnish with celery leaves right before serving.

SHORTCUTS
When in a hurry, I substitute red lentils and adjust the cooking time to 4 hours.  Right before serving, puree soup with a  stick blender for a creamy texture.