Curried Lentil and Spinach Soup

We took this soup to our first gourmet group dinner. Rich has made it so many times that Deanna will no longer take it for lunch.

Curried Lentil and Spinach Soup

16 oz. bag lentils
3 32 oz. boxes chicken broth (low sodium)
Olive oil for sautéing
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2/3 head of celery, finely chopped
2 cups finely chopped carrots
3-5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T. fresh ginger, grated
1 T. ground cumin
2 T. Madras curry powder
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
5-8 oz. fresh baby spinach

Plain nonfat yogurt

Prep onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and ginger (a food processor is useful for chopping everything). Sort through lentils and remove anything disagreeable. Bring lentils and broth to a boil, and simmer until tender, 30-40 minutes. Sautee onions, celery, carrots, garlic, ginger, cumin, red pepper, and curry powder in olive oil. When lentils are tender, add sautéed ingredients and bay leaves to soup pot. Turn off heat and let stand 30 minutes. Add cilantro and spinach. Simmer as needed to bring ingredients to desired tenderness and texture. Add 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt to each bowl before serving.