On occasion I will try out a Weight Watchers recipe, and be so pleasantly surprised that I have to share it with all of you.

I have always been a big fan of lentil soup, ever since my Grandma Shirley would make it from scratch in the cold winter months. This soup might not be appropriate for Summer, but it's perfect on a rainy day or packing for the perfect lunch. (It also helps that your crockpot will do all the heavy lifting). It's healthy at 5 points a serving, and hearty enough for an entire meal.

To make this crockpot lentil soup you will need 2 medium uncooked carrots peeled and cut into chunks, 2 ribs celery cut into chunks, 1 medium onion cut into chunks, 2 medium garlic cloves minced, 2 cups dry lentils, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp crushed thyme, 8 cups canned chicken broth, 4-5 slices diced Canadian bacon, and salt and pepper to taste.

Place all the ingredients into a 4-5 quart slow cooker in the following order: carrots, celery, onion, garlic, lentils, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and broth. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Uncover, then stir in diced uncooked bacon for 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and you are done!

If you want to make this vegetarian, I recommend subsituting with a cup of sliced shitake mushroom caps instead of bacon, and use vegetable broth. Want to make this soup thicker? Puree 1 cup of the cooked lentil soup and add back into the broth. For a boost of additional flavor, top the finished soup with a splash of white wine vinegar.

The lean canadian bacon infused a smokey flavor and depth of flavor; with a hearty 8 servings, this dish makes a stockpile of lunches for the week. Enjoy! XO