Curried Lentil Soup with Chicken Sausage and Toasted Almonds

Wow. Two dinners featuring curry two weeks in a row. Many years ago, I didn't think I was a fan of curry. Think of how many good meal opportunities I wasted. Now I have to make up for that time. So, more curry it is.

This delicious soup is like "nothing you would ever expect," according to my family. "It's so different, and SO good," exclaimed one. And I'm glad they loved it, because it's full of healthy goodness like carrots, celery, lentils and chicken sausage. It also has white beans, but since my family is not a fan, I tricked them (!) and pureed them first to add body to the soup. You can leave them in whole, just as easily.

Whatever you do, don't skip the almonds. I know, it seems really weird to eat almonds on soup. But it works! So don't skip it thinking it would be better without the almonds. It won't be. Just believe me.

This is a great soup for these long winter days and chilly nights. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine did!

Find more ideas at Inspire Me, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul.


Curried Lentil Soup with Chicken Sausage and Toasted Almonds

1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1-2 large carrots, peeled and small diced
1-2 stalks celery, small diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 can white beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound precooked chicken sausage, diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

In a large pot or Dutch Oven, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften, stirring often.

Add the broth and lentils. Bring to a low simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, but not mushy.

Stir in the sausage and beans (either whole or pureed) and heat through. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm with slivered almonds and cilantro.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Coconut Curry Shrimp

I have been on a roll lately in making new recipes that the whole family loves. This is just another example.

Curry is a wonderful treatment for shrimp, and when combined with coconut milk, it just takes it over the top. This delightful dish makes a wonderful and complete dinner when served over rice and with a green vegetable. And it ticks all of my weeknight boxes: easy, fast, delicious.

I use cooked shrimp in this dish for the convenience factor. If you use raw shrimp, just peel and devein it and add it to the sauce and let it cook for 2-3 minutes instead of just warming. Easy peasy!

January is a great time to try new recipes - I hope this one will become a regular at your house!

There are a lot more great ideas at Inspire Me, Inspire Me 2, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul.


Coconut Curry Shrimp

12 oz. cooked large shrimp
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. butter
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp. coconut palm sugar
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro

In a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute. Add ginger, salt, black pepper, and curry powder, stir to combine.

Add the coconut milk and sugar, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low-boil. Combine butter and flour; add to the skillet and cook until it starts to thicken up, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook just until heated through, about 15 seconds.

Remove from the heat. Add the lime juice and cilantro, stir to combine. Serve over rice.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Here in the Upper Midwest, January is a long month, with more of winter yet to come. And it's been an interesting one, with temperatures varying 30 degrees from day to day. When it's chilly and you need a good comforting dinner, soup is always the answer! This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup was a big hit with my family. Using a rotisserie chicken makes it super simple - just chop up some veggies and get simmering! Cooking chicken in the Instant Pot is also an easy way to prepare chicken for recipes.

(To cook chicken in the IP, I add about 1 cup of water, season the chicken and set to manual pressure for 6 minutes for fresh and 12 minutes for frozen...times will vary slightly depending on the size of your chicken pieces.)

For the noodles in the soup, I used German Spaetzle which I got at Aldi. They are more egg-y than traditional pasta and work really well in this soup. They are also excellent topped with beef stroganoff! However, I am also a big believer in use what you have - so whatever pasta shapes you have in the cupboard will work just fine! Enjoy this soup with some crusty bread and a big green salad and you'll be warm from the inside out!

Find more inspiration at Inspire Me, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
5 Tbsp. butter
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. small pasta shapes or fettucine or spaetzle

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter and add carrots, onion, celery, parsley, thyme and garlic powder. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and add flour. Stir and cook for three more minutes.

Add broth and stir with wooden spoon until combined. Add cooked chicken and stir. Reduce temperature to low. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Add cooked pasta, peas, cream and salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir until peas are warmed through. Serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.