I mentioned in my last post that I was browning some of the ground pork sausage from our pig for sausage and lentil stew. I found the recipe on Pinterest and was inspired because I had such great sausage on hand. The stew was easy and absolutely delicious and I promised to post the recipe for you. As I browned the sausage, I had virtually no fat to drain off, so the stew was rather lean. I think you could easily use chicken or turkey sausage if that's your preference. Lentils are such a power food and deserve space in your kitchen. They are very inexpensive, even if you buy organic, and pack a huge nutritional punch, containing 18g protein and 15g fiber per cooked cup. They are also a good source of folate, iron and B vitamins. The entire legume family (beans, peas, lentils) are known to be heart healthy, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. The fiber helps to normalize blood sugar which is something that we should all be mindful of. There are certainly enough health reasons to include lentils in our diets. Have you ever just cooked up lentils plain? I think they taste rather like dirt which is a good reason to include them in soups and stews where other ingredients take center stage in flavor. The sausage and vegetables in this recipe make it very flavor rich. I hope you love it! Let me know what you think. |
Ingredients
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 cup dry lentils, rinsed
3 cans diced tomatoes, blended ( I used garden tomatoes that I had roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh basil. It’s the perfect time of year to do that)
Fresh herbs if you have them (oregano, tarragon, basil - or 1/2 tsp dried)
Just a dash of red chili pepper
Pepper and a little sea salt if you need it toward the end.
Directions:
- Brown sausage and drain if necessary. Add onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes and add broth, water and lentils.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and spices
- Bring back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for about another hour.
Makes 8 Servings.