The first day of the rest of our lives recipe

Following on from my interlude with Peter Gabriel, i've decided to dice with good intentions and create a sure fire winner of a recipe that will make sure i'm healthy but full in the Winter months. Especially in all this snow, it must be 4 inches at least outside my front door...

This recipe is a firm favourite in the Hard-sworth Household for it's meaty taste
(with or without the sausage - leave it out if your'e veggie you won't miss it), and filling texture. It's cheap, not particularly time consuming and packed full of goodness. It keeps well for up to a week or so and it's good to transport to work for lunch. If you struggle to get your 5 fruit and veg in , then this soup is a pit stop check box...





Sausage & Lentil Casserole Soup

Serves 4; Approx 7 WW Points (+ 4 for bread roll)
Prep: 10 Mins Cooking Time: 1hr approx


Ingredients:


1x tablespoon Olive Oil
2x Crushed Garlic Cloves
1x Large onion diced
1x celery stick sliced
6x carrots cubed
half swede - cubed
half 500g pack of red split lentils pre soaked if required , read pack
4x medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
800ml Knorr vegetable stock
4x pork sausages
Flat leaf parsley
Salt & Pepper
1x tablespoon mild chilli powder
1x tablespoon cumin seeds
lemon juice to taste

Method

Place the sausages on a baking tray in a prelit oven, Gas Mark 6 for 30-35 minutes untill cooked through.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large pan and add the garlic, onions and celery, saute for 2 mins

Next, add the potatoes, swede and carrots and the chilli powder, saute for 10 mins, adding a little water if required to prevent mixture burning/ sticking. Add Cumin seeds and Salt & Pepper.

Saute for another 5 mins then add 800ml of your chosen vegetable stock, bring to the boil and keep it bubbling for approx 20 minutes.

Next, add the lentils and simmer for a further 5 minutes

Remove the sausages from the oven and cut into slices, the thickness of a £1 coin, add to the broth and simmer for a further 5-10 mins untill thickened and the veg is cooked and the mixture takes on some flavour from the sausages.

Taste and season as required, a squeeze of lemon juice adds bite.

Serve in large bowls with warm, crusty bread and a scattering of flat leaf parsley.

THE ULTIMATE WINTER COMFORT FOOD!!


If you have any other warming soup recipes, you'd like to share on the page, then feel free to leave a comment. They'd be most appreciated.