Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions + brown sugar and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until softened. Continue cooking, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan frequently until the onions are golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the garlic, cook 30 seconds, add the balsamic vinegar, wine, and 2 cups veggie broth. Bring the mix to a boil and then stir in the lentils, bay leaves, thyme and season with salt + pepper. Reduce to a simmer and simmer 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are tender, adding more veggie broth towards the end of cooking to keep the lentils in liquid. Once the lentils are tender, remove the bay leaves + thyme. Taste and season as needed with salt + pepper.

Heat the broiler to high. Spread each piece of bread with butter then top evenly with cheese and place on a baking sheet. Place the sheet under the broiler and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute or until the cheese has melted.

Serve the lentil warm with a side of cheesy toast! Enjoy!