Lentil, Sausage and Kale Soup

Yesterday the girls and I were making Hamentaschen (Purim cookies), so I had to come up with a dinner that I could just throw in a pot and cook while we were doing our project. Soup seemed like a perfect idea since the prep is easy and fast. I served the Lentil, Sausage and Kale Soup, with garlic and thyme braised, peel-and-eat artichokes, a simple salad, and a loaf of crusty bread. Easy!

3 links of your favorite sausage (I used Boulder Italian)
1 T olive oil
half a large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup green lentils
2 t ground cumin
1 carton chicken broth (use a low sodium broth...I like Pacific)
4 cups water
1/2 large bunch of kale, discard ribs and slice
1 sweet potato, diced
a splash of sherry vinegar
juice of half a lemon
1 T your favorite salsa (I love Frontera chipotle)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Pull bite-sized sausage pieces out of casings and brown over high heat. Transfer to a plate for late use. Turn heat to medium and toss in onions. Cool until softened. Toss in garlic, lentils and cumin, seasoning with salt and pepper. Saute for a few minutes and add broth, water and sausage. Stir, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add kale and sweet potato, stir to wilt the greens. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add vinegar, lemon juice and salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste.