Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 6 ounce baby spinach fresh
• 6 ounce baby spinach fresh
• 2  bay leaves 
• 2  bay leaves 
• 1 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 2  carrots peeled halved lengthwise sliced
• 2  carrots peeled halved lengthwise sliced
• 1 cup celery sliced
• 1 cup celery sliced
• 16 ounce legumes dried
• 16 ounce legumes dried
• 2  garlic minced
• 2  garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 4 cups beef broth fat-free
• 4 cups beef broth fat-free
• 1 cup soy sauce 
• 1 cup soy sauce 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 3.8 ounce pork sausage italian hot
• 3.8 ounce pork sausage italian hot
• 1.5 cups onion red chopped
• 1.5 cups onion red chopped
• 10 servings rye flakes 
• 5 sprigs thyme leaves (4-inch-long)
• 5 sprigs thyme leaves (4-inch-long)
• 7 cups water 
• 7 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• ladle

Directions

1. Remove casing from sausage.
2. Heat a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.
4. Add sausage to pan, and cook until browned; stir to crumble.
5. Add onion, celery, and carrot; saut 4 minutes or until tender.
6. Add garlic; saut 30 seconds.
7. Stir in 7 cups water and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaves). Bring to a boil; stir in lentils. Return to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 40 minutes or until lentils are tender.
8. Stir in spinach; cover and cook 2 minutes or just until spinach wilts.
9. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Ladle soup into bowls, and, if desired, sprinkle evenly with cheese.