Mama's Warming Lentil Soup

This is my mom’s lentil soup. It’s really easy, but incredibly delicious and a great thing dish to have on a cold day. It warms me right up! Let me reiterate my usual lack of measure in this recipe. All of the measurements are guesses. Don't be afraid to change them depending on your tastes. Just go with it!

• 1 ½ cup lentils
• ½ lb. ground beef (this can be substituted with firm tofu for a vegetarian version)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-6 red potatoes (depending on size), cubed
• 1 tbsp cumin
• garlic salt and pepper to taste

 Combine tomatoes, onions, garlic, cumin and ground beef in large frying pan and brown. Once brown, combine lentils and ground beef mixture in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the lentils and meat (There should be about an inch of water about the lentils). Bring to a boil. Turn down to medium heat and cover for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 40 minutes, add red potatoes and cover for another 20 minutes, or until potatoes are fully cooked. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste. For even more texture, have this soup on top of quinoa. Enjoy!