Chestnut, Lentils and Vegetable Stew

This is a nice winter stew or soup
that everyone loves in my family.
It is so comforting on a cold winter night,
or it can be a Thanksgiving dish to
substitute for vegetarians.
It tastes wonderful the next day!
Experiment with the vegetable combinations.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 celery ribs, chopped
4 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 (32 fluid ounce) container vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can brown lentils
8 fresh chestnuts, peeled and chopped
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Pour the olive oil into a large,
deep pot set over medium-high heat.
Stir in the onion and garlic;
cook until transparent, about 5 minutes.
Add the celery, carrots, vegetable broth, and water;
cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, pour in the tomatoes,
and cook 10 to 15 minutes more.
Reduce heat to low, and mix in the lentils
and chestnuts; cook for 1 hour
until the chestnuts soften.
Pour in more water to thin the stew,
Season to taste with salt and pepper.