Winter in my New England town is quite depressing; sunset at 4 PM, constant snow on the ground, heat-sucking weather, not much to do outside, and classes to attend after the storm of the decade. However, hearty soups, stews, chilies, and sweets have kept me sane and happy. The fragrance of spices and earthy aromatics that fills the apartment is enough to fill my mind with nostalgic memories of home as a youngster while I ate a big bowl of chili after a long day of playing in the snow building snowmen, sledding, and making forts. This olfactory sensation in combination with long runs in the blistering cold, followed by a steamy shower was enough to push me through my final winter here... I can see spring in site. Morning temperatures are double digits and Mother Nature even was generous enough to offer a real treat today by letting the temperature rise above freezing! Hurra! However, I still need that occasional mental retreat so I'm always looking for soup variations because honestly I can only eat split pea soup, chicken soup, and chili so many times. This recipe is a vegetable packed version of lentil soup with which I was quite satisfied.
Recently, I had major jaw surgery that left me incapable of chewing... It has been a long and mentally trying time. So many things that are out of reach... ribs... burgers... cereal... bread... cookies... but enough sobbing and reminiscing. Surprisingly, there are quite a few very enjoyable soft dishes that I am able to eat. I've been enjoying decadent oatmeals, health-nut smoothies with VEGA vegetable supplement (with a soon to come review featuring the ultimate showdown between Blendtec of "Will it blend" and the industry standard choice of Vitamix), and cheesy egg variations. However, what I crave more than anything else is salad and fresh vegetables. I've been searching for any kind of recipe that softens the veg enough for me to eat it without becoming mush. I tried creamed corn and creamed spinach with success, but peas and green beans are quite disgusting blended. Earlier this week I made Smittenkitchen's adaptation of lentils with roasted butternut squash and goat cheese, that was marvelous; tangy and great texture. But I was still left with a yearning so I devised a soup full of my favorite winter vegetables. I think it covers about 2/3 of the food pyramid requirements for the day, so there is no need to feel any guilt having that third scoop of ice cream.
Lentil and Tons of Vegetables Soup
- 1 lb mixture of green and yellow split peas and lentils
- 1 onion
- 1 cup each of: carrot, parsnip, celery, diced
- 5-7 cups of stock
- 1 lb sausage (I used chicken sausage)
- 1 cup of corn
- 8 oz mushroom, chopped
- 1 lb frozen spinach
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon of: thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- dash of cayenne or chipotle
- Big splash of red wine vinegar
Heat a stock pot with olive oil. Saute the onion and celery until translucent then add the sausage until cooked. Add the stock and the lentils. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the carrot and parsnip. Cook another 20 minutes until vegetables are just softened. Add corn, mushrooms, spinach, and herbs, spices, and vinegar. Let sit a few minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy with an extra splash of vinegar if you like or crumbled goat cheese.
