Red Lentil Soup with Chicken Sausage, Kale and Fury

You’re not supposed to cook when you’re angry because agitation tastes like crap. That said, I do it all the time. Cooking is one of two things I do when I feel like I am going to burst with fury. Running’s runner up. This past Sunday, the morning I lost such a good piece of writing, the weather was so bitter and cold… the last thing I wanted to do was throw on the old sports bra and go out in it. I needed to chop something. I needed to chop something fast. Fortunately, I had all the ingredients on hand for a red lentil soup with chicken sausage and kale, and many opportunities to use a knife

Onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. CHOP.

Chicken sausage. A package of 5 links. CHOP.

Kale. You’re so pretty but CHOP. (Saving you for the end.)

In a 1/4 cup of olive oil, I cooked the chicken sausage first. Got it nice and Michael Browned.

In flew all of the vegetables. Got them nice and soft. Only took 5 minutes.

Hanging out.

Added a pinch (or three) of red pepper flakes. What’s angry soup without a kick in the throat?

2 bay leaves. (I am convinced I will have this container of bay leaves for the rest of my life. How do you get rid of bay leaves?!)

A can of only the best. Not to mention 6 cups of water. 

Lentils.

It’ll look like tomato soup to anyone else… but you’ll know what’s in there…

Let it cook for 40 minutes uncovered. You want the lentils to be soft.

Later, you’ll add the kale.

Furious.

Who knew fury could taste so good... alongside my mom’s homemade popovers?