Spinach Lentil Soup

This is a super comforting soup on cold days.  With our hot weather somehow eluding us, I have made this soup a few times during the Spring rather than a cold salad. This recipe is also a healthy way of using up fresh spinach and parsley.
Ingredients:

• ​2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs. fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 - 14.5 oz can whole tomatoes (398ml)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
  
• 8-12 cups purified water
  
• 3 Tbs. bouillon paste or 4 organic vegetable cubes
  
• 1 cup lentils (If possible soak overnight  in water with 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar)
  
• 4 cups lightly packed fresh spinach leaves, remove stems and cut oversized leaves
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  
• 2.5 tsp. sea salt
  
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Method:

1. ​Heat olive oil in a big soup pot.
2. Add onions and sauté for 6 minutes or until translucent.
   
3. Stir in garlic, rosemary, bay leaf and red pepper flakes and sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes or until onions are golden brown and the mixture is fragrant. 
   
4. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste and stir.
   
5. Add 8 cups of water, bouillon paste or cubes, and lentils.
   
6. Bring to a simmer over high heat, decrease the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 25 minutes or until lentils are tender.
   
7. Add more water to your desired consistency. ( 1-4 cups)  Some people like more of a stew, others like a soup consistency.
   
8.  Stir in spinach, parsley, salt and pepper.  Simmer a few more minutes until the spinach wilts.
   
9. Discard the bay leaf and season to taste with additional sea salt and pepper, if desired.
   
10. Serve in bowls as soup or over rice as stew.
    
11. Freezes well or keeps I fridge for 2 days.