Recipe: Moroccan Lentil Soup (using chickpeas and pinto beans, crock pot)

MOROCCAN LENTIL SOUP

1 cup dried lentils
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes (and juice)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (1-inch) piece gingerroot, peeled and grated

Use a 6-quart slow cooker for this recipe.

Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. (Soup tastes best the longer you cook it, and it is even better the next day.)

Before serving, use a hand-held stick blender and pulse to blend some of the vegetables and beans together. This isn't necessary, but it really improves the texture of the soup and melds the flavors nicely.

Adapted from source: More Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by Stephanie O'Dea