very veggie lentil soup

I love lentil soup...so much so that I posted have already posted two recipes, here and here...but when we had vegan houseguests recently I made a new version that was very delicious and totally vegetarian. This version includes carrots, celery, lots of garlic, yams, and kale so it is packed with nutrients. I used garam masala to season it which turned out to be a great choice. 

VERY VEGGIE LENTIL SOUP

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, peeled and diced

4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

4 ribs of celery, diced

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 bay leaf

1 whole head of garlic, cloves separated and papery skins removed

1 pound french lentils

2 large yams, peeled and cut into small dice

1 bunch kale, tough stems removed, finely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and add onion. Saute until translucent. Add carrots and celery and cook until softened.  Stir in garam masala, bay leaf, garlic cloves, lentils and 16 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and continue cooking for about 30-40 minutes or until lentils are soft. Stir in yams, kale, and salt and cook until yams are tender, approximately 20 minutes more. You can add more water if needed - I've made this soup twice now and the first time I needed 20 cups of water but the second time 16 was plenty.