Vegan brown lentil soup

Ingredients:
1 cup dried brown lentils
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
4 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions:
Rinse lentils and set aside.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add onion and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onion is translucent.
Add carrots and celery and cook for another 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.
Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, thyme, and bay leaf and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add vegetable broth and lentils to the pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove bay leaf before serving.
Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.