French lentil soup

This recipe came from my mom.  This is a simple, tasty, and hearty soup.  We usually eat it with a baguette or other loaf of bread.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped white onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

6 or so garlic cloves, chopped

2 boxes (32 ounces each) organic vegetable broth, no MSG (I used cans of Swanson's veggie broth)

1-1/4 cups green lentils, picked over for stones, rinsed, and drained

1 can (14-l/2 ounce) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted are great) in juice

Preparation:

Chop vegetables finely.  Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium-high heat.

Add chopped vegetables and saute (stirring frequently) until they have softened quite a bit (around 10 minutes). 

Add lentils, vegetable broth, and tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 40-50 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot and enjoy!