Sauté the vegetables - In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, and celery, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. - Be sure to chop your vegetables finely and uniformly so that they cook evenly and soften as they should. If you want to speed up the process, use a food processor to chop the vegetables.

Add lentils and broth - Stir in the lentils, vegetable broth, and ground turmeric. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. - Be sure to rinse and sort the lentils before adding them to the pot to remove any debris or impurities. You can also soak the lentils for a few hours beforehand to reduce cooking time.

Blend the soup - Add lemon juice and coconut milk. Remove from heat and use a hand blender or transfer the soup to a blender to puree until smooth and creamy. - Be sure to let the soup cool a bit before blending and to work in batches if using a countertop blender rather than an immersion blender. For a chunkier soup, use the blender less or skip the blending step altogether.

Season and serve - Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot. - Garnish with fresh herbs or croutons for an extra pop of flavor and texture. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.