Food Storage Friday: Lentil Soup

So this week I tried something different, lentils. Lentils are high in protein, iron, fiber and folic acid. They cook faster than beans and when stored in #10 cans have a shelf life of approximately 30 years. Not to mention super cheap, I bought a pound bag for 98 cents. They're pretty much a super food, and a great way to add protein to your long-term food storage. Why is it that I've never had these things before? This recipe seemed like a good one to try because it includes so many food storage ingredients and it cooks in the crock pot.

French Lentil Rice Soup
Food Storage Ingredients
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup lentils, sorted and rinsed
3 Tablespoons uncooked rice
1/3 cup dried onions
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup dried carrots
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper

Fresh Ingredients
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
3/4 cup water
sour cream (optional)
pesto (optional)
parsley (optional)
dried Italian seasoning (optional)

1. Stir all but optional ingredients together in crockpot. 2. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. 3. Remove 1 1/2 cups of soup and puree until almost smooth. Stir back into soup. (Make sure that the blender is vented when pureeing hot liquids.) 4. Garnish as desired.

I will be the first to admit that this is not something that I'm going to crave in the middle of the night. I felt the fresh pesto improved it, as did the dried Italian seasoning. My husband likes it and has even chose it over leftover pizza for lunch one day. Sometimes you cook with food storage not because it tastes better than your alternatives (and sometimes it does) but because you're just getting comfortable with your options so if it comes down to "We are eating only food storage" you know what to do. I feel like this is one of those meals, but at least it's packed with lots of nutrients which makes me feel a little better about it.