Lentil soup with smoked sauage has always been a favorite of mine. It's good on those cold frosty evenings or perhaps you prefer this for lunch.

1 bag of lentils
1 large onion (roughly 2 cups chopped)
2 celery stalks (roughly 1 cup chopped)
1 carrot (roughly 1/2 cup chopped)
1 box of chicken broth (32 oz)
A few cloves of garlic
1 smoked sausage
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Soak the lentils overnight in cold water or follow the quick method on the package.

Chop the onion, celery, and carrots and put in a pan with a little oil on low heat. Season with one bay leaf, the thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until translucent.

Add the lentils and cover with the broth. About 20 minutes into cooking, chop the sausage and add to the pot. Add the garlic. Cook this on low heat for about another 10 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Alternately, you can add cubed potato and garnish this stew with some chopped parsley. Serve with some toasted bread to get at the liquid left behind. Growing up I had this and also a split pea variation of this same soup. This soup/stew freezes pretty well and is perfect for a quick lunch if you freeze it in a plastic container. Takes about 2-3 minutes to re-heat in the microwave.

Paul Rinehart is a personal chef and the founder of Online Cooking. He is classically trained in classic French Cuisine.