Red Lentil Soup with Spinach and Balsamic Onions

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipe/red-lentil-soup-with-sausage-spinach-and-balsamic-onions/

INGREDIENTS

• 4teaspoons olive oil
• 1sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 9ounces lean sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (or alternative to meat)
• 1celery stalk, diced
• Pinch dried thyme
• 1/2cup brown rice
• 3/4cup red lentils
• 6cups low-sodium chicken stock (veggie stock)
• 115 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (tomato puree)
• 1bay leaf
• 1garlic clove, peeled
• 1/4teaspoon paprika
• 5cups spinach leaves, loosely packed (I used beet greens)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add half the onion and saute until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the balsamic vinegar. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside.

2. Warm the remaining olive oil. Add the sausage, remaining onion, celery and thyme and saute over medium-high heat, breaking up sausage, until onion is translucent and sausage begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and lentils.

3. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes and their juice, bay leaf, garlic and paprika and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until rice and lentils are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove and discard garlic and bay leaf.

4. Stir in the spinach until wilted. Season to taste with black pepper and remaining balsamic vinegar. Ladle into bowls and top with onions; serve.

I served it with red chili flakes and nutritional yeast. Very delicious! more like a stew/beans & rice dish though, rather than soup.