Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

This recipe came from having lots of good ingredients and a little boredom on hand.  I had a bone-in venison roast from the crock pot made the day before that needed to be used, but this soup would be GREAT with sausage.  Frozen squash reduced down with the broth and made a very good base.  Fresh squash may do the same, but I think it would leave chunks of squash.  This is a seriously healthy soup that tured out really delicious too

Extra virgin olive oil (of course)
1/2 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb bone in roast chopped or 1 package hot Italian sausage, cut in small pieces
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots peeled and chopped
1 package frozen butternut squash (or fresh if ya got it- peeled, cleaned, and cut)
8 cups low sodium beef broth
1 bunch kale, sliced
1 TBS ground cumin
1 TBS paprika
1 dash cayenne
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp fresh basil
salt to taste
1 cup dry lentils
1/4 cup dry quinoa

Heat oil over medium heat.  Cook onions and garlic until turn transluscent (don't burn the garlic!).  Add celery, carrots, and meat (if using cooked roast or already browned anad drained sausage, cook the veggies till softened first).  Add squash, spices, broth, and lentils and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about an hour or until the lentils cook.  Return to a boil and add quinoa and kale then reduce and simmer for length of time it takes to cook whatever kind of quinoa you're using. 

Sweet and Spicy Pasta

1 package of quinoa pasta (or regular pasta)
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 onion
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1+ cup chopped kale
4 cloves garlic
Chopped basil
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz feta or other salty crumbly cheese

Boil the pasta. sauté onion in oil, add garlic, add chopped peppers, add kale and spices. Sauté until cooked to your preference (5-10 mins). Toss saucers veggies in pasta and add feta.

This is so easy, very healthy, sweet/spicy/ and a little salty from the feta. I served with baked lemon basil salmon.