Soup Done ...... Okay?

So yesterday's recipe was an experiment with lentils. It was both

a success and a failure. My family enjoyed the flavors, but I slightly

overcooked the lentils and sweet potatoes, leading to a mushier

texture than I wanted. I take cooking for my family seriously.

Overcooking or undercooking can take all the joy out of a family

meal as the recipients try to swallow what their throats are rejecting

and search for kind words. And though last night's dinner

was not repulsive, it still hurts the cook when the grumbles start

or additives hit the table.

I'm excited to share with you the recipe from last night and my plans

to make it even better next time.

Keep reading to find out what's cooking!

Red Lentil & Kale Soup

Ingredients:

1 Onion-chopped

2 Carrots cut into 1/4 in. circles

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 tbsp Cumin

1 tbsp Turmeric

4 Sweet Potatoes peeled and cut into 1 in cubes

1 bag of Red Lentils (~2 1/2 c.)

8-10 c. Vegetable Broth (I prefer Better Than Bouillon & water)

5-6 c. Kale

1/2 c. Fresh Dill

4 tbsp. Lemon Juice

Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions:

1. Heat a large soup pot on medium on the stove. Add oil.

2. When the oil is heated, sauté onion and carrots for about 3 minutes.

3. Stir in cumin and turmeric.

4. Add sweet potatoes, lentils, and vegetable broth.

5. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn down to low.

6. Stir occasionally. Here, I cooked it for 25 minutes. Instead, cook for 18-20 minutes.

7. Checking the sweet potatoes and lentils until they are barely underdone.

8. Add kale, mix it into the soup, and cook for 4 more minutes.

9. Turn off stove. Stir well. Add dill and lemon juice. And mix again.

10. Ladle into soup bowls and shake a little red pepper flakes for an extra pop.

The green vegetable- Kale, can be easily swapped out for your favorite

leafy green such as spinach, collard greens, chard, etc. In addition,

if you're not a fan of sweet potatoes switch them out with other potatoes

or winter squash. I enjoy sweet

potatoes for their natural sweetness and the creaminess they add to soups.

The red lentils can be switched

out with green ones, too. They just aren't my favorite.

I thought about adding heavy cream or coconut milk as well, but the soup

ended up creamy enough with the overcooking.

I also served this with sandwich bread. My daughter was busy baking this weekend, so the man guy didn't get a chance to bake bread. :( Sad momma. But this would pair very well with a good sourdough. 

The New Schedule & Butternut Squash, Kale, & Sausage Soup

Hello! Long time, no read! With the busyness of life, a new schedule was needed. But, of course, each time I made a new schedule, something new would happen to throw it into chaos.  Shuffling four kids in varying grades and interests is no joke. Now, finally, things are starting to become more regular. With a new schedule comes some new writing. As autumn is the ultimate best season ever, I am going to drop a million soup, stew, and chili recipes here for everyone to enjoy. New stories are still in the works, some scary horror stories. I hope you'll come back to read them! 

Today, I made this butternut squash, kale, and sausage soup. This is my own recipe after many years of trying several other recipes and not being 100% satisfied. With my picky eater, slow eater, eater of everything, and eater of all things plain, this soup scored a 6/6. All bowls were empty at the end of the meal. For the children, they ate it with a thick slice of English muffin bread and were full. The man guy with his bottomless void, had two pieces of bread and 3 bowls of soup--in his defense, we had an early brunch. 

Ready in 30 minutes

Serves 8 

Calories 371

Ingredients

• 1 lg. Butternut Squash

• 1 lg. Red Onion

• 4 Garlic Cloves

• 1 Red Bell Pepper

• 1 lb. Ground Sausage

• 1 tsp. Kosher salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 4 c. chicken broth

• ½ c. pumpkin puree

• ½ tbsp. Oregano

• 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp. Red pepper flakes

• 1 c. heavy whipping cream

• 4-5 c. kale

• Parmesan  

Preparation

1. Peel, deseed, and cut squash into 1-inch cubes. Dice red onions. Cut red pepper into small chunks. Mince the garlic.

2. Cook the sausage in a big soup pot on medium. Toss in garlic when the sausage is mostly cooked. After 30 secs., toss in red onions for about 3 mins. Then add red peppers. Stir for about 3 minutes.

3. Add squash and give a good stir, before adding chicken broth, seasonings, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn down to low. Let simmer for 15 minutes or until squash can be easily poked with a fork. 

4. Once the squash is tender, add whipping cream and stir. 

5. Then add kale and stir into soup. Turn off the stove. Serve topped with parmesan and an optional slice of good bread.

Tips

I prefer to use my own homemade chicken broth to keep the salt low and taste high. 

I also highly recommend a heavy bread to serve with this meal though you could add rice if you needed to bulk it up. I eat it with an English muffin bread. 

The ground sausage can be any you have hanging around. I like a spicy pork sausage or a breakfast sausage. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	371
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24.5g	31%
Saturated Fat 9.8g	49%
Cholesterol 73mg	24%
Sodium 1208mg	53%
Total Carbohydrate 21.2g	8%
Dietary Fiber 1.6g	6%
Total Sugars 2.2g
Protein 18.8g
Vitamin D 8mcg	39%
Calcium 169mg	13%
Iron 3mg	16%
Potassium 689mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
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