Hearty Chorizo Sausage Stew

It's been freezing in Canada in the last few weeks.  This recipe is guaranteed to warm you up!

Hearty Chorizo Sausage Stew

-4 Chorizo Sausage casing removed
-2 onions chopped
-2 cloves of garlic
-1 cup of red lentils cooked
-2 carrots peeled and chopped
-1-2 turnips or 1 small rutabaga
-1 small sweet potato chopped
-2 potatoes chopped
-1 cup of cooked grain (quinoa, brown rice etc)
-3-4 cups of broth (veg, beef, or chicken)
-1 teaspoon thyme
-1 teaspoon oregano
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-1 bay leaf
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot cook sausage meat until almost completely cooked, drain fat and add onions and garlic.  While the sausage is cooking in a small pot cook (washed) 1 cup of red lentils with 2 cups of water on medium heat, takes about 20 minutes, I always remove the froth off the cooking lentils.   Once the onions are cooked, add the broth, lentils, carrots, turnip, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and let simmer.  When the root veggies are cooked all the way through, add the whole grain you have precooked, (I added brown rice as it was left overs) and spices.  Allow to simmer on low for about 30 minutes.  The grain will absorb some fluid making it thick.

Black Bean Soup

It has been a rainy few days here in Toronto, hurricane sandy has rolled through here bringing rain and cold weather.  Perfect for soup.

Black bean Soup

-2 large onions chopped
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 can of diced tomatoes
-1 cup white wine
-4 cups of chicken broth
-1 sweet potato diced
-1 potato diced
-1 can black beans
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 pinch of chili flakes
-1/2 teaspoon pepper
-dash of salt
-dash of cumin
-1/2 teaspoon oregano
-1/2 teaspoon thyme
-fresh lime and cilantro before you eat and cheddar cheese grated

In a sauce pan on medium heat add the oil and start to cook the onions, one the onions are cooked, add the wine, tomatoes, chicken broth, potato, sweet potatoes, chili powder, black beans (washed well) and the spices.  Allow it to simmer on medium low heat for about 40 minutes and then as you serve add grated cheese, squeeze in lime and add cilantro.