For some godforsaken reason, our usually warm and sunny paradise has recently become a mecca for both rain and wind. When the sun disappears behind the clouds, I’m often inclined to swap tropical smoothies for cozy soup. Not only will this soup keep you warm during these chilly Isla Vista days, but it’s packed with healthy veggies!

You can make a big pot of this soup to feed the entire house, or a single serving just for yourself! The recipe below will yield about two bowls of soup, but feel free to just increase the amounts of each ingredient to make a bigger batch.

Laura Tucker / Daily Nexus

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups vegetable broth
2. 1 carrot, sliced
3. ½ sweet potato, sliced
4. ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
5. ½ white onion, diced
6. 1 cup broccoli
7. 1-2 cups baby spinach
8. ½ cup green lentils, cooked  
9. 1 tsp paprika
10. 1 tsp chili powder
11. Salt and pepper, to taste
12. 1 tbsp olive oil

Steps:

1. Roast carrots and sweet potatoes in the oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until slightly soft, but not browned or cooked all the way through.
2. While your sweet potatoes and carrots are softening, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and add the diced onion, making sure to stir often. Cook until onions are looking a bit clearish and are relatively soft.
3. Bring your broth to a boil over medium high heat and add spices.
4. Add all veggies (except spinach) to the broth and bring down to a simmer.
5. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until all veggies are cooked to a consistency you enjoy.
6. Add in the spinach and cooked lentils, give it a stir and enjoy!

This soup is insanely delicious, but make sure you don’t let it simmer for too long or your vegetables will get too soft! Also, feel free to substitute the spinach for kale, it’s a bit of a sturdier green and would go really well with the other veggies. If you want to save yourself from washing an extra dish, brown the onions in the pot and simply pour the broth and spices over them.