Fresh Tomato & Red Lentil Soup

This is quite possibly my favourite all time soup. It sounds quite simple but the flavours just work amazingly together, giving a whole taste experience in the mouth.... You've just got to try it. Its an easy meal to double the batch and freeze some...

I've made it a few times, but I am yet to take a picture that remotely does it justice.....

Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic. Chopped
- 1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
- 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 medium tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped (fresh is far superior)
- 4 cups (1 litre) chicken / vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
- juice 1/2 lemon
- chorizo / prosciutto (optional)

Method:
in a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and sweat the onion and garlic until they are tender but uncoloured. Add the chilli and mustard powder and sauté. Add the carrots and sauté for 3 minutes or until they are softened. Add the tomatoes, stock and lentils and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are tender. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice.

Serving suggestions:
- A nice crusty loaf

Source: Nourish Magazine.