Before we get into the Spiced Lentil Soup… there’s a little something you should know!! Last spring my son Jake went bear hunting with my husband and my dad. You might wonder what would possess a 12 year old to want to shoot a bear? I wondered myself!! The winter before he went to hunters safety, took all the classes, and got certified! My dad is an avid hunter and hunts pretty much everything. So he took my guys along for a bear hunt! During the day they’d hunt for mushrooms (which I totally loved getting 4 different varieties I’d never heard of before) when they couldn’t hunt for bears. AND Jake shot a bear!! It was 200 pounds and 5 years old. We gave the meat away but my dad was nice and sent some for us to try!
The reason for this whole long story is that I used the bear meat sausage he sent in THIS Spiced Lentil Soup! (Don’t tell my kids… they have no idea it wasn’t “normal” sausage). I’m sure once they read this post I will be in BIG TROUBLE…. maybe, even fired as the cook around here!!!

Spiced Lentil Soup
1/2 lb Italian sausage (or if you happen to have bear sausage be sure to use that!)
1/2 C diced onion
1/3 C barley
3 garlic cloves
3 quart chicken stock or 4 C water and 4 chicken bullion
1 C lentils
1 chicken breast
1/2 C parsley, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans
1 jar (12oz) salsa (how ever spicy you like)
In a large stock pot brown sausage, onion, barley, and garlic. Add chicken stock, lentils, chicken breast, and parsley. Simmer until lentils are tender. Remove chicken breast, shred with 2 forks and return to soup. Add beans and salsa; heat through. Serves 10
This Spiced Lentil Soup recipe came from my friend Sarah… it is a favorite of hers! (we like it too) She says she loves all the good fiber and nutrients in it. (She probably doesn’t even remember she gave this to me)
I’ll be sure NOT to post this until the container of Spiced Lentil Soup in the fridge is gone… otherwise it just might not get eaten ???
Drew Armstrong says
Can I have more spiced lentil bear?
-Drew