Fennel-Infused Red Lentil Soup

• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion (medium)
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1 cup butternut squash or sweet potato (diced)
• 2-3 uncooked Italian-flavored chicken sausage links (casing removed)
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 fennel bulb (small/medium-sized) or 1 teaspoon fennel or anise seeds.
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)

1. Sort lentils to remove any small rocks and/or sticks that may have been missed in the packaging.
2. Saute onion, celery and butternut squash in olive oil.
3. Add sausage and cook thoroughly.
4. Add lentils and coat.
5. Add water, fennel, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
6. Cover and simmer over medium/medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. To thicken soup, mash a portion of the ingredients in the pot and let sit for another 10 minutes.

red lentils, olive oil, onion, celery, butternut squash, italianflavored chicken sausage links, water, fennel, salt, brown sugar

Taken from food52.com/recipes/8557-fennel-infused-red-lentil-soup (may not work)