Curried Lentil and Spinach Soup

Curried Lentil and Spinach Soup
This is incredibly easy, delicious, and serves about 8-10.

What you'll need:
Olive oil
Onion & garlic (1 1/2 cup chopped, 4 or 5 cloves minced)
Celery (1 cup or more chopped)
Carrots (1 cup or more chopped)
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16 oz. (1 lb) of dried lentils
1 6 oz. ag of baby spinach
64 oz. of vegetable broth
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Fresh ginger
Cumin
Curry powder
Nutmeg
Crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt & pepper
Cilantro (1/4 cup chopped)


Begin by sauteing the onion and garlic in a large pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil at medium heat. Add in your celery and carrots after about 5 minutes and saute for 8-10 more minutes. Next, add in spices as follows: 1 tablespoon of finely chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 tablespoon of curry powder, a dash of nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. If you want an extra kick, then I suggest adding a bit of cayenne pepper as well. Saute until spices are thoroughly mixed with vegetables. Now add 64 oz. of vegetable broth plus 1 1/2 cups of water, and the lentils. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes (until lentils are soft), stirring occasionally. For a thinner consistency, feel to add water by the cupfuls every 10-15 minutes or so (the spinach will add some water too, so be careful not to add too much water). After that, add in spinach and cilantro and simmer until the spinach is thoroughly wilted. Salt and pepper to taste, let cool, and serve.