Lentil Soup with Kielbasa

I used turkey sausage for this recipe. Instead of boiling the sausage whole, I put chopped raw pieces into the broth and let cook in the simmering soup. This was a nice alternative as it gave every bite a little sausage to it. The other nice thing is that this soup is ridiculously low fat and healthy.

3 tbsp. oil
1 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. sliced celery
2 c. sliced carrots
1 c. green lentils, rinsed & picked over
1 can (24 oz.) whole tomatoes
6 c. water
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. kielbasa
1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. thyme
3 tbsp. vinegar
Chopped parsley

Saute onions in oil in a large pot until tender. Add the celery and carrots; saute 3 minutes longer. Add the lentils, undrained tomatoes, water, bay leaf, salt, pepper and kielbasa. Cover and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the rice, thyme and vinegar; simmer, covered for 30 minutes longer. Remove the bay leaf and kielbasa. Cut the sausage into bite-size pieces, return to the soup and heat thoroughly. Garnish with parsley.

Variations:
Use Turkey Sausage

HEARTY LENTIL AND SAUSAGE SOUP

I saw this same soup on the Whole Foods recipe website and it looks even better than mine posted above.  I need to make both and do a taste test.

•  2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 pound mushrooms (such as white, cremini, shiitake, portobello and oyster), chopped
• 1 cup (about 7 ounces) dried French or brown lentils, picked through and rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 2 1/2 cups mushroom or low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes, with their juice
• 1 cup dry red wine
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/4 pound baby spinach, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
• 6 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Method: 

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent. Add sausage and cook, breaking into small chunks, until it begins to brown. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms have released most of their liquid. Add lentils, beef broth, mushroom or chicken broth, tomatoes and their juice, wine and pepper flakes; cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add spinach and salt and pepper, stir well and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more; stir in thyme. Ladle soup into bowls and top with Parmesan.