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Throw everything in the slow cooker and let this healthy chipotle lentil soup simmer away all day long. Pureed avocado and chipotle peppers add plenty of flavor! Thank you to California Avocados for helping me share this recipe with you.

There was a time in my life when taking university-level calculus seemed like a good idea. It's possible that I made that decision after a night of drinking kamikazes, which produces a mindset that hovers between invincible and stupid. And what was I going to do with all of that calculus knowledge? Become an astronaut, of course. That is, until discovered that astrophysics actually required taking physics. Huh.

The one redeeming quality of taking calculus was going into the old, stone math building at UBC (University of British Columbia), which is covered with a tangle of ivy creeping from the ground to the roof. In the autumn, the crisp air and fog rolling off the ocean prompted the forlorn, eerie moaning of the foghorns near the university. The red autumnal leaves of the ivy broke through the gray mornings and suggested warmth and comfort in the changing of the seasons.

At the end of the day, I'd stumble home, valiantly warding off thoughts of calculus homework, and sit down in front of a warm meal. Ever since I was a kid, soup has had the power to soothe my soul, and this lentil soup, with the smoky heat of chipotle peppers, is no different.

Everyone needs a good lentil soup recipe in their arsenal, and this slow cooker version is not only easy, but is packed with healthy protein (16.1 grams per serving!) and fiber (16.2 grams per serving!), and plenty of flavor. And to top it all off, it's finished with a swirl of blended California avocado to add a dose of healthy fats and flavor that naturally compliments the chipotle peppers and cumin in the soup. Just throw most of the ingredients in the slow cooker first thing in the morning or the night before. All that you need to do before serving up the soup is to blend a portion of the soup with the avocado to add texture and creaminess.

We're eating as many California avocados as we can get our hands on while they're still at their peak. We use them to top chili, tuck it into cucumber cups and mini quesadillas for healthy snacks and serve in salmon dinner salads with finger licking dressings. Adding avocado is an easy way to add healthy fats, while also benefiting from the loads of vitamins in each fruit.

Other healthy vegetarian recipes:

Cookin' Canuck's Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry with Sweet Potato & Chickpeas
Cookin' Canuck's Quick Vegetarian Barley Risotto
Well Plated's Honey Lime Tofu Stir Fry
Last Ingredient's Peanut Udon Noodles with Grilled Vegetables
Green Healthy Cooking's Grilled Veggie Sandwich with Cilantro Pecan Pesto

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