sausage

Sausage, Lentil and Kale Soup and Being Still

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As fall sets in, I am embracing the change in weather, the colors, the crisp cool air with autumn rituals of picturesque walks, warm drinks and sun filled windows that only fall can bring.  Fall is a time when things slow down. When the world is so loud, it’s nice to slow down and just be still and listen. That’s what fall has become for me, a season of being still.  Recently I started a ritual of just sitting in a park or outdoors once a week for 15 minutes and just being still…not trying to get in a quick walk, not catching up on emails or some reading, but just time to be still and present and take in what’s around me.  Some people are able to get this quiet time in the morning, but not me.  As soon as I get up, no matter what time, kids are right behind me and my day has started.  So I schedule it in my day just once a week.  It grounds me, it gets me ready to think well and feel deeply.  Maybe someday I will actually do this everyday, but for now in this season, 15 minutes in my week is what I have. Since starting this practice, I found that I’m taking bits and pieces of each day to be more present as a result of this intentional time.

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Usually I have a recipe I want to share, then I write a post.  But this time I started writing and I wasn’t inspired by the recipe I was going to share.  But today I was inspired to make this beautiful soup and feel good about sharing it!! It has wonderfully layered flavors and tastes amazing! I still have some kale left in my garden, the last lonely crop that loves the crisp cold air!  And this soup is perfect accompanied by being still and taking in your surroundings and enjoying the loveliness that only fall can bring!

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1 lb Sausage, casing removed (I used apple turkey sausage, but any sausage will do!)

1 onion, diced

1 large carrot, shredded

fresh rosemary, chopped (or dried or use other fresh herbs if you have them)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp cumin

1 bundle of kale, stems removed, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

4 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of water

1/2 cup of red wine (optional)

1 3/4 cup of lentils

In a dutch oven, brown the sausage in olive oil.  Add the onion, garlic and carrot until tender (salt and pepper at this stage). Pour in about a half cup of red wine and reduce by half (this is optional, but makes another layer of flavor).  Add the herbs, diced tomatoes, water, chicken stock and lentils.  Salt and pepper again and simmer for 35-45 minutes until the lentils are tender.  Add the kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking.  Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil and balsamic vinegar and enjoy!

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Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup

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This is a quintessential fall soup, perfect for Thanksgiving or lunch the next day when you crave something “lighter” and more nutrient dense than the traditional Thanksgiving dinner we all love and enjoy.  Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year.  It’s a time when we can relax and enjoy visiting with family without the extra pressure of Christmas presents and parties and things that tend to take us away from the real meaning of the season.  And there are still little gems of local cold weather produce available until most of our markets close this week.  In this recipe, I used pumpkin that I roasted, pureed and froze. You can also cook fresh pumpkin or winter squash in the soup or use canned pumpkin puree.  I love to top off this soup with plain greek yogurt for a little tangly flavor, or use sour cream or drizzle some cream.  You can make this soup ahead, it gets better as the flavors combine.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves or garlic, minced

2 cups of sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 cup of pumpkin puree or cubed fresh pumpkin

1 apple, cored, peeled and cubed

4 cups of chicken stock

2 tablespoons of fresh sage, rough chopped

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch of ground cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

plain greek yogurt, sour cream or cream (optional)

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In a dutch oven or soup pot, saute the onions in olive oil for a few minutes with salt and pepper then add the garlic until tender.  Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the cheese and yogurt) and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.  Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender.  Simmer the soup a few minutes.  Remove from heat and add in the Parmesan cheese.  Serve with plain greek yogurt, sour cream or a drizzle of cream.  Enjoy!

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Sausage, White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew

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This soup is so hearty and warming on these brisk fall days.  We are getting down to the last of the fall harvest vegetables, the roadside farm markets are closing soon and the CSA is finished.  I have some kale and swiss chard still in the garden, but that’s it.  I dried some herbs and hoping some others will withstand the colder temps for a while longer.  I morn a little each time the window for the fresh, local produce closes.  But now is the season for slow cooked, warm and nourishing dishes.  This is a great basic soup to switch up the ingredients for what you have on hand.  Use kidney beans and spinach or add veggies like peas or broccoli or omit the sausage and make a meatless soup. You can also eat this over a bed of whole wheat noodles or pasta. If you don’t have the fresh herbs, just use more dried.  It’s a small batch, so feel free to increase the amounts to have leftovers or some to freeze.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Italian turkey sausage, loose sausage or remove from casings

olive oil for browning

2 cloves or garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 can of white beans, rinsed and drained

1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes

4 cups of swiss chard, roughly chopped

4 cups of chicken stock

1/4 c fresh basil

2 tbsp fresh parsley

Parmesan cheese rind (optional)

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

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Brown the sausage in olive oil in a dutch oven or soup pot.  Set the browned sausage aside. Leaving the browned bits and fat in the bottom of the pan, saute the onion a few minutes then add the garlic and then add the carrots and celery. Add salt while sauteing and cook until tender.  Add the canned tomatoes with juice, beans (drained), chicken stock, sausage, swiss chard and herbs, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese rind salt and pepper and simmer for 20-30 min.  Take out the Parmesan cheese rind and serve with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese.  If you don’t have a Parmesan cheese rind, just add a 1-2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese to the simmer or omit.  This soup is great as leftovers too!

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Sausage, broccoli, egg bake with sweet potato crust

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On these hot summer days, the last thing I want to do is spend hours in the kitchen. This is another very easy weeknight dinner in a pinch. You can use up whatever veggies you have on hand, add fresh herbs and it is packed full of nutrients! I got the basic recipe from another one of my favorite cookbooks, “Against all Grain” by Danielle Walker and added my spin to it.  I added broccoli, but spinach, swiss chard or arugula would work great or add tomatoes, peppers or mushrooms, the variations are endless! Keep this recipe in your back pocket when you don’t know what to make for dinner or for a tasty breakfast.

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Ingredients

1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced very thin

1/2 lb cooked sausage

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 tsp of fresh herbs (I used rosemary and thyme)

8-10 eggs

3 tablespoons milk of choice (I used almond milk)

1/4 cup shredded cheese (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the sliced sweet potato in the bottom of a greased pie plate or small oven safe skillet so they cover the bottom of the pan. Spread the cooked sausage, broccoli or other toppings. Sprinkle in the fresh herbs. Whisk the eggs, milk and salt and pepper and pour into the dish. Add shredded cheese if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 min.