Brown Lentil Soup w/Rosemary

This easy, inexpensive soup is perfect for lunch, and smells really good as it cooks.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
3 carrots
3 celery stalks
1 cup of dried brown lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried rosemary (or 1 tbs. minced fresh rosemary)
1 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Preparation:
1. Cut up the veggies. Chop up the onion, thinly slice the carrots and celery.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
3. Add the veggies to the pot, heating for a few minutes (and stirring often) until softened a bit.
4. Add 4 cups of water, plus the lentils, the bay leaf, the rosemary, and the red wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for ~ a half hour, until lentils are tender.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaf.

Enjoy with crusty bread or toast.