I talk a lot about the importance of nutrient dense food during pregnancy and postpartum - but let’s be honest, toward the end of pregnancy and after baby arrives we are often too tired or too busy to think about making a nutritious meal. That is where simple meals come into play. This soup is so easy to throw in a slow cooker and even freeze for later!

Before we get right into the recipe though, let’s chat for a minute about why this soup is so good for you. During pregnancy your body is busy supplying everything that another human being needs to grow and thrive. In fact, your body will ensure that your child receives everything they need before you reap the benefits of the food you are consuming. Then you have the labor and birth process, which is like the most strenuous workout you will ever experience. If you have a cesarean, you will be recovering from major surgery. Regardless of how you birth, your body will likely feel a bit depleted postpartum and you will need to focus on replenishing and healing. For this reason, it is essential to rebuild the nutrients needed to restore you to optimum health. This recipe is so rich in phytonutrients - every single bite will contain vitamin K, protein, B vitamins, iron, and potassium, just to name a few! Immune boosting vitamin C is also found in many of these ingredients.

So get ready to fire up your slow cooker (or better yet, get someone else to make it for you) and enjoy this vegan, gluten-free, tasty soup in just a few hours!

Ingredients:

• 16oz brown lentils

• 8  cups vegetable stock

• 1  15.5oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

• 2  medium red, russet, or sweet potatoes (chopped into bite-sized pieces)

• 2  large carrots (sliced)

• 1  large onion (diced)

• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• 2 cups fresh spinach or kale (chopped)

• A sprinkle of cayenne pepper (feel free to omit if you don’t prefer spicy food)

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except the spinach/kale and stir. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.

2. Add the kale and cook for about 15 more minutes.

Yields 6-8 servings.

If you make this recipe I’d love to hear how you liked it or what you tweaked to make it your own!