Add 1 TBSP olive oil to a large pot over medium heat, followed by minced garlic and onion. Stir often and cook for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add the chopped carrot and celery with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes, until the veggies start to soften.

Then pour in the diced tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, oregano, basil and more salt and pepper. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the lentils according to the package in a smaller pot on the side. Drain then when they're done cooking (they'll be soft to the bite, but not mushy) and set aside,

After the soup has cooked for 20 minutes taste and adjust spices as needed. You may want to add more salt or pepper. Use an immersion blender or transfer half the soup to a blender. If using an immersion blender, blend so that most of it is smooth, but there's still some veggie chunks. If using a blender, transfer the blended portion back to the pot and mix it together.

Add the lentils to the soup and stir them in. If using basil, add the chopped leaves to the soup and stir as well.

Assemble: divide the soup into 3-4 meal prep containers depending on how much food you usually eat. Top with more basil if desired. If you end up making 4 meals out of this, you can freeze 1!