Sausage and Lentil Soup

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope everyone had a great holiday season and a happy new year. I apologize for slacking on the posts, but with the holidays and the twins, I've barely had time to sleep, let alone post. The good news is I have been cooking like a mad woman, and taking pictures all along the way so there are plenty of new recipes coming up. Not only are the recipes going to be for meals that are perfect for freezing, but there will be recipes on how to use some of the items you've packed in your freezer already.


My new years resolution is to eat healthier  I know who's isn't. so with each of the recipes i'm going to include a nutritional break down. This helps to plan your meals better, and for the calorie counters out there, it save the time in trying to figure out what is in each recipe.

So the first recipe of the new year is a sausage and lentil soup. This soup is a kicked up version of traditional lentil soup. My husband also likes it a bit spicy so i use a hot sausage, but you can use a sweet sausage or chicken sausage if prefer. It is so easy to make because its a one pot meal. this can be made stove top or in the crock-pot and they both come out equally delicious. This meal freezes well, and is perfect during the cold winter months.

Sausage and Lentil Soup


Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup Lentils
Spicy Sausage, 4 links cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1 Carrot   chopped, and peeled
1 Parsnip peeled and chopped
1 Leeks thinly sliced
1 small Onions chopped
1 yellow pepper chopped
6 cup Chicken Broth
2 cup Water
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Tabasco Sauce
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp paprika
Salt and Pepper

 In a large stock pot, heat the oil and then saute the sausage until nice and brown on all sides. Then add in the onions, carrots, leeks, pepper and parsnips, cook for 2-3 minutes, so that they begin to sweat. Pour the cumin and paprika into the pot and the cook for 1 minute. Then add in the Chicken broth, water, bay leaf, and Tabasco  Bring to a boil and add in the lentils. Cook for 35 minutes. season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts

  8 Servings

Amount Per Serving

  Calories        116.2

  Total Fat        4.6 g

              Saturated Fat  1.6 g

              Polyunsaturated Fat   1.0 g

              Monounsaturated Fat 3.2 g

  Cholesterol    9.1 mg

  Sodium          826.8 mg

  Potassium      662.1 mg

  Total Carbohydrate    15.1 g

              Dietary Fiber  3.9 g

              Sugars            2.9 g

  Protein           5.4 g

  Vitamin A      46.6 %

  Vitamin B-12 8.2 %

  Vitamin B-6   11.9 %

  Vitamin C      81.5 %

  Vitamin D      0.0 %

  Vitamin E      3.4 %

  Calcium         5.2 %

  Copper           17.5 %

  Folate 20.6 %

  Iron    15.9 %

  Magnesium    8.1 %

  Manganese     36.1 %

  Niacin            27.0 %

  Pantothenic Acid       5.1 %

  Phosphorus                20.6 %

  Riboflavin     9.4 %

  Selenium        9.7 %

  Thiamin         10.1 %

  Zinc   7.1 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.