Lentil and Maple Sausage Soup

One of our food bloggers here at WordPress,Tammy Algood, posted a wonderful recipe for Maple Sausage and Lentil Soup. My pantry is full of lentils right now because it is one of the common items that is distributed at my local pantry. The recipe looked simple and inexpensive and the maple sausage I had in my freezer.  My family just might eat this with a maple twist to it.

https://hauteflavor.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/maple-sausage-lentil-soup/

I store lentils in a large container leaving just one empty bag under the lid so I have instructions on how to use them.  All I have used them for is to add a half a cup of them to vegetable or multi bean soup. But the recipe called for a 1 pound bag and I had to wing it as to how much I should use.  Also I only had maple sausage links and not a full pound of ground maple sausage.  So I did some changes to the recipe to match what I had to work with. I did not add salt because the soup base is salty. The soup turned out good.

To serve it I added a drizzle of maple syrup on top and a pinch of dried dill weed.  Dill complements some soups with beans and legumes. Lentils is a legume like peas.  I dry my own dill when it is in season and I can find it at the farmers market. A dab of sour cream or croutons also would make a good topping.

• Time: 45 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

• 1  package  (12 ounce.)maple sausage links
• 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
• 2 ribs of celery finely chopped
• 2 carrots thinly sliced into coins.
• 2 tablespoons of chicken soup base
• 7 cups water
• 2 cups dried green lentils
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• dried dill weed (optional)
• maple syrup  (optional)

Directions:

In a stock pot or dutch oven brown sausage links with onions and celery.  Remove sausage and cut into bite size pieces and return to pot.  At the point the onions and celery is done sweating. Add sliced carrot coins, soup base, water, lentils and pepper.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and add water if needed. Serve.  Optional topping with a swirl of maple syrup on top and a pinch of dill weed or a topping of your choice.

Thank you Tammy for a wonderful soup idea. Everyone please visit her food blog.

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