Sausage and Lentil Soup
Forgive me my friends, this post is going to be short.
Strike one: It’s Monday. Sometimes I just hate Monday. I’m pretty sure you guys can hear me on this one? I especially hate Monday when the following occur:
Strike Two: I spent most of the weekend tending my poor sick kids. (Including the wee hours. AKA: I haven’t slept all weekend.)
Strike Three: This morning I woke up with so much pressure in my head I wished it would explode. Remember those old “this is your brain on drugs” commercials? The one where the egg gets smashed on the concrete or something to that effect? I wish someone would do that to my head today so it would stop hurting. Ok that was kind of melodramatic I admit, but you get the point: I feel like something scraped off the bottom of your shoe.
For some reason I just can’t seem to connect this recipe to a humorous story, I can’t think of any fascinating lentil facts, nor can I seem to wax poetic about food today. Forgive me? Perhaps I should point out that this soup is very good for you when your sick? In fact I’m probably going to eat this for lunch myself today. Lentils are probably a super food right!?! They can do battle with my super bug! Hopefully I’ll be cured by late afternoon.
In all seriousness, I can say that this soup is really good. Its hearty and comforting. Lentils and spinach really are quite healthy and some good ole Italian sausage gives it a major favor kick. It’s perfect for a winer day or fighting super bugs. So forgive me for being grumpy today and give it a try.
Sausage and Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground italian sausage
- 1 onion coarsely diced (yellow or white both work fine)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups of dried lentils, rinsed well and checked for debris
- 8 cups of chicken stock
- 4 cups (aprox 6 oz) baby spinach leaves, washed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1. In a large stock pot over medium heat brown the italian sausage breaking up any large clumps with a spoon. When the sausage is completely cooked add the onion and garlic cloves to the sausage and saute until onion is translucent.
- 2. Add dried lentils and and chicken stock, and raise the heat to high to bring the pot to a boil. Reduce heat immediately after boiling to medium-low and simmer for at least an hour. Salt and pepper to taste. (Salt will be very important to adding flavor to the lentils. I recommend using at least a 1/2 teaspoon.) Add baby spinach and stir in. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes until all the spinach has wilted into the soup.