SLOW COOKER LENTIL SOUP

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried green lentils, rinsed and drained
• 8 cups canned chicken broth
• 1 meaty ham bone
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp thyme, crumbled
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups thinly sliced spinach

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except spinach in a 4 or 5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting until lentils are tender, about 8 - 9 hours.
2. Remove ham bone and bay leaf; discard bay leaf. Remove and chop meat from ham bone; discard ham bone. Stir meat and spinach into soup. Cover and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.