Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

I can hardly believe I haven't posted this recipe before now!  I make this so often, I consider it one of our regular soups. 

Guess I forgot to add the peas before I took the picture.

 The ingredients are almost always in the house.  It's warming.  It's good for you.  It's easily doubled and freezes well.  The kids eat it!

Moroccan Red Lentil Soup ingredients.

I love the yellow colour of the soup with the bright green peas floating around.  It`s a jolly soup!

Moroccan Red Lentil Soup
copied straight from Canadian Living

These are the spices, aren`t they pretty?

2 2tbsp tbspextra-virgin olive oil

2 onions , chopped

4 cloves garlic , minced

2 celery stalks , chopped

1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 Pinch saffron (optional)
6 cups water
1 cup red lentils
1 tbsp tomato paste

2 potatoes , peeled and cubed

1 can (19 oz/540 mL) tomatoes

1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

- In large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions, garlic and celery, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and saffron (if using); cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
- Add water, lentils, tomato paste, potatoes and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with spoon; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes.
- Add peas; simmer until lentils, vegetables and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.  Ladle into bowls. Dollop each with sour cream; sprinkle with parsley. 
Tip 1: For a smoother texture, purée 2 cups of the cooked soup until smooth, then stir back into remainder of soup.
Tip 2: You can add a variety of vegetables to this soup.  For example, this particular batch has cauliflower florets in it.  You can add sweet potato, carrot, and cooked squash.
Vegan version: you can omit the sour cream entirely and it's still awesome, this is how we eat it most of the time, actually.