Good morning everyone! It has been awhile since my last post because I recently had a baby and things have been a little crazy around here. We are both healthy and doing well so far, although I am a little sleep deprived, but that was expected.

Prior to giving birth I did make some meal preparations because I knew it would be difficult to make healthy meals while dealing with a newborn’s eating and sleeping pattern….I feel like my life is currently in two hour increments. Having some prepared meals in the freezer have been really helpful and I’m super glad I had the foresight to prepare a variety of foods. I highly recommend stocking your freezer with some prepared meals if you know you are going to be very busy in the near future.

One of the meals I decided to prepare and freeze was a lentil veggie soup. Lentils are a great source of protein and fiber and adding any type of vegetables is always a good healthy choice. I also used unsalted vegetable stock and no salt added canned tomatoes so I could control the amount of salt that I wanted to add. My husband did add some hot sauce to his bowl so that is always an option too if you like a spicier bolder soup. Anyways, this recipe is super easy and freezes well and I hope you enjoy it!

 

4 Cups Unsalted Vegetable Stock

1 Cup Uncooked Lentils, Rinsed

1 Can (14.5 oz) No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes

1 1/2 Cups Chopped Zucchini

1 Cup Chopped Carrots

1 Teaspoon Dried Basil

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano

3 Cups Raw Chopped Kale – Ribs Removed

Salt and Pepper

Add all ingredients except for the kale, salt and pepper to slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. Add kale and stir in until wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or allow to cool and freeze in smaller containers for future use.