Over medium heat, add coconut oil to a large pot and saute onions until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add celery, garlic, ginger, and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add carrot dials (diced carrots), cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika, pepper, and salt. Mix well and saute for 10 minutes. (If needed, add coconut oil to the pot to prevent the carrots from sticking or burning)
Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth, and mix well. Turn the heat on low, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes, until most of the broth has been absorbed by the lentils. Stir occasionally
Add the coconut milk and mix well. Cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
The soup is now finished. If you would like to make the soup smoother, use an immersion blender to blend the soup. You can also use a ladle to transfer the soup into a high-powered blender. Blend until you achieve your desired texture.
Serve and garnish the soup with fresh cilantro, jalapenos, freh queezed lemon juice, dollop of coconut cream or dairy-free yogurt. Enjoy!