Start the New Year "light" with Lentil Soup

It is an Italian tradition to eat lentil soup on New Year's Day. It is said that lentil soup brings financial success throughout the year. I don't know how true this is but, just in case, I start every new year with a good bowl of lentil soup. In Friuli, a region in the Northern part of Italy where my mom comes from, the soup is traditionally eaten with "musetto", a cured spiced pork meat. In the U.S., it's often made with ham hocks or bacon to give it that unmistakable salty and smoky taste. But this makes for a high calorie bowl of soup. Below is a lighter version of this soup that can be enjoyed all year long. The key ingredients that give this soup its essential flavors are the herbs (rosemary, sage, bay leaves and thyme) and Morning Star Veggie Bacon Strips. Zucchini, although not a traditional ingredient in lentil soup, is added to increase the volume of the soup. It's low in calories and has a mild flavor so it absorbs the flavor of the other ingredients in the dish.

Serving size:	1 bowl
Number of servings:	4
Calories per serving:	94

Ingredients	Calories
1 cup lentils	160
1 cup diced carrots	52
1 cup diced celery	16
1 cup diced onion	67
1 cup diced zucchini	19
2 strips of veggie bacon strips, diced	60
8 cups of water	0
3 sprigs of fresh thyme	0
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary	0
3 sprigs of fresh sage	0
3 bay leaves	0
1 tsp salt	0

In a large pot, add the diced carrots, celery, onion, zucchini, meatless bacon strips, thyme, rosemary, sage, bay leaves and salt. Cook over low heat until vegetables are soft (3-5 minutes). Add lentils and 8 cups of water.  Bring to boil and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes. Remove the herbs. Adjust salt to taste. Serve.

Barbara's Tips

The soup tastes better if you let it rest a while. It's even better if you let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. This allows all the flavors to really meld together. If you let the soup sit overnight, wait until you've reheated the soup before taking the herbs out. P.S. It's easier to take the herbs out if you tie them together before putting then in the soup.

There is no need to add any oil to the pan before cooking the vegetables. The salt will cause the vegetables to release enough moisture to prevent them from sticking. Make sure your heat is low enough. If you find that your vegetables are sticking, you can add a touch of water to the pot. Using a non-stick pot will also help but is not necessary for this recipe.

There is no need to cook the veggie bacon strips before adding them to the soup. The product is already pre-cooked. And, unlike regular bacon, it won't render since it has no fat. It is used in this recipe to impart a smoky flavor without adding fat as with traditional bacon.

Dried herbs can be used if fresh herbs are not available. Since dry herbs have a less intense flavor than fresh, more may have to be used to achieve the same flavor as when using fresh herbs. Putting the dried herbs in a sachet will help infuse the broth and still allow easy removal of the herbs before serving.

Essential Flavor Ingredients

Morning Star Veggie Bacon Strips can be used to impart a smoky flavor to any dish. They are low in calories and fat. They can also be used as a bacon substitute in sandwiches and salads (think bacon bits) since they crisp up when cooked in a skillet.

Fresh herbs are a good way to add lots of flavor to recipes for very little or no calories. Rosemary, thyme, sage and bay leaves are great for adding fall flavors to dishes.