1 hour from start to finish

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or canola oil

2 large white onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon coarse salt

 ½ cup minced fresh parsley

1/4 cup minced fresh chives

1/4 cup minced fresh dill, or 1 1/2 tablespoons crumbled dried dill

1 1/2 tablespoons crumbled dried oregano

1/2 cup uncooked green lentils, rinsed

1 1/2 cups water

4 cups plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt

4 cups torn washed spinach leaves

Dash paprika

In a large, deep saucepan, melt the butter or heat the oil. Add the onions, salt, parsley, chives, dill, and oregano, and sauté over low heat until the onion is limp, about 20 minutes. Add the lentils and stir well to blend.

Stir in the water. Bring to a boil  over medium -high heat, cover, and simmer over low heat until the lentils are cooked, about 20 minutes. The lentils are done when they’re tender all the way through, yet retain their shape. Turn off the heat .

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt until it’s smooth and creamy. Whisk in about a tablespoon of the hot broth . Gradually add more broth, whisking after each addition, until half the broth is in the yogurt.

‘Whisk the yogurt mixture back into the saucepan. Add the spinach, and stir constantly over low heat until the spinach has turned bright green and the soup has warmed through, 8 to 12 minutes. Be careful not to bring the soup to the boiling point or the yogurt will separate.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and sprinkle each serving with a dash of paprika. Or chill right  away, covered,  and serve cold.