Lunch: Lentil Soup with Kale and Sausage

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Kale

Health benefits of Lentil Soup with Kale and Sausage

Kale is an excellent source of calcium, which has an important role in egg maturation and follicle development in the ovaries.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons EVOO, plus more for drizzling
1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh bay leaves
2 stems fresh rosemary
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
1 potato, peeled and cut into small dice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bunch black kale, stemmed and chopped
A few gratings fresh nutmeg
1/2 cup dry white or red wine
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/4 cups brown lentils
Shaved Pecorino cheese, for serving

Instructions

Heat the EVOO in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add the garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, carrots, onions and potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the kale and nutmeg. Add the wine to deglaze the pot, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the chicken stock and 2 cups water and bring to boil (for thicker soup, use 2 cups less liquid). Stir in the lentils and cook at a low, bubbly simmer until the lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the rosemary stems and bay leaves. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a drizzle of EVOO and the shaved Pecorino. Cook's Note: The soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat. Per Serving: Calories 380; Total Fat 13 grams; Saturated Fat 3 grams; Protein 25 grams; Total Carbohydrate 44 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber 9 grams; Cholesterol 23 milligrams; Sodium 1207 milligrams