Hearty Lentil Stew with Sausage and Broccoli

12 one-cup servings

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut in small dice (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 celery stalk, cut in small dice (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 medium onion, cut in small dice (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 1/2 cup red or yellow lentils
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 bunch broccoli (see note)
• 1/2 tomato
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Place the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (4 quarts or larger capacity). On hight heat, brown the sausage on all sides. Remove and set aside. 

2. Add the diced carrots, celery and onion. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. Do not allow the vegetables to brown. 

3. Add the lentils, stock, water, basil, rosemary, oregano and bay leaves. Cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces and add to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce heat to a high simmer. Cook covered until the lentils are tender (20 - 30 minutes for red lentils, 40 - 60 minutes for yellow). 

4. Meanwhile, trim a 1/4 slice from the broccoli stalk ends and discard. Using a vegetable peeler, pare the tough skin from the stalks. Cut the stalks from the florets and then cut stalks into half-inch dice. Separate the florets into similarly sized pieces. Cut the half tomato into half-inch dice. 

5. When the lentils are tender, add the broccoli and diced tomato to the pot, stir and continue to cook, covered, until the broccoli is just tender, about 5 minutes more. 

Note. Just about any green vegetable can be used in place of the broccol: kale, collard greens, beet or turnip greens, spinach, bok choi, green cabbage, napa cabbage, swiss chard, etc. For most of these the cooking time for the final step will be shorter than indicated for the broccoli but let "cook til tender" be your guide. Kale and collard greens, for example, may take longer.

Nutritional Estimate: 12 One-Cup Servings. Per serving: 76 Calories; 15 g Total Carbs; 6 g Dietary Fiber; 3 g Sugars; 1 g Fat; 4 mg Cholesterol; 113 mg Sodium; 6 g Protein. Weight Watchers: 1 point.