Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

After a big holiday dinner or family dinner, I usually have a ham bone left over.  I know most people make a pea soup with it, but not me.  I want to make lentil soup with it.  I use the slow cooker so I can put it on in the morning and when I get home in the evening, it is waiting for me.  So, Sunday's ham turns unto Monday's soup.  Try it out.  If you are a vegetarian leave out the ham and substitute the chicken stock for vegetable stock.  I make mine with organic ingedients (except for the ham).

Makes 4 quarts

Ingredients

1 cup dried organic lentils (find them in the bulk bins) 

1 cup chopped organic carrots (2 large carrots) 

1 cup chopped organic celery (3 stalks)

1 cup chopped organic onion (half of a large onion)

2 cloves organic garlic, minced

1 ham bone with ham bits still on it

1/4 teaspoon dried organic thyme

2 organic bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

32 ounces organic chicken broth

1 cup water

1 15 oz can organic diced tomatoes with Italian Herbs

Here's how:

In a slow cooker combine the lentils, carrots, celery, onion, garlic and ham

Crock Pot is ready.  Be sure to use a crockpot liner.

Diced carrots

Celery

Onions

Minced garlic

Left over ham bone

 Add thyme, bay leaf, pepper, chicken broth, water and tomatoes.

Chicken broth

Diced tomatoes, they add seasonings of their own

 

 Cover and cook on High for 6 or Low for 11 hours.

 

All in the pot, time to cook

6 hours later.

Stored for eating later

Remove the bay leaf before serving.