1. Prepare your vegetables. Under cool running tap water, wash onions, carrots, garlic, and greens. Peel the onions and carrots.
2. Re-rinse the carrots, trim away the tops and bottoms and dice them into uniform ¼-1-inch pieces. Cut your onions into thin slices. If using kale, remove the center ribs and chop the leaves coarsely.
3. In a large stock pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat until it starts simmering. Add the diced carrots and onions. Cook for 5 minutes while stirring until they turn soft.
4. Stir in the garlic, cumin, thyme, and curry powder. Add diced tomatoes and mix well.
5. Add the rinsed lentils to your stock pot. Cover them with water and vegetable broth or chicken stock.
6. Season the mixture with salt, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the pot and bring your soup to a boil.
7. Reduce to medium heat for a gentle simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Ensure the lentils are soft but hold their shape. Do not thicken or puree the soup.
8. Add the chopped greens and cook for about 5 minutes or until soft. Turn off the stove. Stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
9. Prepare your canning jars. Wash the jars, rings, and lids in hot, soapy water. Rinse well and simmer in boiling water until ready to fill.
10. Prepare the pressure canner per the manufacturer’s requirements. Place 2-4 inches of water inside with a jar rack and put on a stove to warm.
11. Ladle the hot lentil soup using a slotted spoon into hot canning jars. Fill jars halfway with solids and halfway with cooking liquid. Leave 1-inch headspace.
12. Release air pockets using a non-metallic utensil. Dampen a clean cloth or paper napkin with vinegar and wipe the jar rims.
13. Center lids on the jars, apply the screw bands, and tighten until fingertip tight.
14. Load the filled jars into your pressure canner using a jar lifter. Bring the water to a boil and cover the canner.
15. Remove the weight to allow the canner to release a steady stream of steam for 10 minutes.
16. Close the vent pipe and allow the pressure to build to per your canner type and elevation:

Dial-Gauge Pressure Canner

• 0 – 2,000ft: 11 lbs
• 2,001 – 4,000ft: 12 lbs
• 4,001 – 6,000ft: 13 lbs
• 6,001 – 8,000ft: 14 lbs

Weighted-Gauge Pressure Canner

• 0 – 1,000ft: 10 lbs
• 1,001ft and up: 15 lbs

Post Processing

1. Set a processing time of 60 minutes for pints or 75 minutes for quarts.
2. Once the time is complete, turn off the heat. Allow the canner’s pressure to drop up to zero.
3. Carefully remove the jars from the hot water using a jar lifter. Place them on a towel-lined countertop, 1-inch apart, to cool for 12-24 hours.
4. Check the seals by looking at the lids. Properly-sealed jars have lids with a concave shape and don’t flex when pressed.
5. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and consume them within 5-7 days.
6. For properly sealed jars, wipe them clean and label them with the canning date and contents. Remove screw bands and store them in a cool, clean, dry place.