Lentils With Kale & Andouille

It’s winter, and it seems like during winter I eat soup about five times a week. Maybe it’s the hot broth helping keep me warm from the inside out. Or because I can sneak some veggies into my kids tummies by putting them in soup, since their tasty in-season goodness is still months away.

And if you haven’t had lentils, they are delicious. They’re a legume, and unlike most other dried legumes, don’t have to soak overnight before you cook them. (Am I the only one who thinks to herself, “I’m going to make a pot of beans tomorrow” for three days before I actually remember to soak them the night before?) You just rinse, check for any non-lentil pieces (sort), and drain. They’re also packed with protein and fiber. So try them, ok? As for andouille, it’s an absolutely delicious cajun sausage that can (thankfully) be found in my local grocery store. The kind I like comes fully cooked, and has a spicy, smoky taste. Here’s the package so you know what to look for:

Lentils With Kale & Andouille
1 (small) bag dried lentils
10 cups water
4 andouille links
5 stalks kale
2 t. thyme
salt & pepper

Rinse, sort and drain the lentils. Then add them to a large pot with the water, along with the thyme. Bring to a boil, and cook on medium for 25 minutes. In the meantime, chop your andouille into bite-sized chunks. Feel free to eat a couple on the spot (but only if you have the pre-cooked variety, of course). Go ahead and add the andouille to the pot.

While that’s cooking, rinse and drain your kale. Be sure to remove the leafy part from the stem by just running your knife down the edge. Like this:C

Chop the kale into small pieces (just so you’re not getting a giant leaf in the middle of the bite). But wait until your timer goes off to add the kale. You don’t want to over-cook it.

After the 25 minutes is up, throw the kale into the pot and let it simmer an additional five minutes. The leaves should turn a bright green – that’s when you want to eat them. Add your salt and pepper in to taste. Enjoy!