Spicy Lentil Soup

• 1 tablespoon Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 large celery stalks, chopped
• 2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 dry bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup dry lentils (french or brown), rinsed well and drained
• 1 large Yukon gold potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 15-ounce canned tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
• salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• hot sauce (optional)

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, and parsnips and cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until vegetables are soft and onions are translucent.
2. Add bay leaf, oregano, cumin, chili flakes and garlic to the pot and cook for another minute. Add wine and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
3. Add rinsed lentils to the pot along with potato, tomatoes and stock.
4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and allow the soup to simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. Add water, as necessary, 1/2 cup at a time if needed but a thicker consistency is best.
5. Near the end of the cooking time, add spinach to the pot and stir in. Cover soup for the remaining 1-3 minutes.
6. Taste for seasoning and add in salt and cracked black pepper, to taste. Garnish with hot sauce of your choice if desired.

olive oil, onion, carrots, celery stalks, parsnips, garlic, bay leaf, oregano, ground cumin, red chili, white wine, brown, gold potato, tomatoes, vegetable stock, fresh spinach, salt, hot sauce

Taken from food52.com/recipes/63167-spicy-lentil-soup (may not work)