Food & Drink
Warm up this winter with a Tuscan Lentil Soup
Story & recipe by Ann Fulton
A hint of sausage supplies smoky, savory flavor in this one-pot soup, which is packed with plant-based fiber and protein, colorful veggies, and satiating appeal. Wholesome comfort food at its best!
In addition to sharing twice-weekly recipes on my Fountain Avenue Kitchen blog over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to create recipes for a variety of food companies. Bob’s Red Mill’s oats and Stonyfield’s yogurt, for example, have been the inspiration for recipes those companies then used for their marketing purposes—recipes I still make regularly for my family.
Some of my recipe development work has been for regional restaurants, including a few that are closer to home. Eight years ago, Isaac’s Restaurants asked if I would be interested in creating a soup for their then annual campaign called Get Soup! Give Soup!
For this event, all their restaurant locations would select a soup kitchen, shelter, food bank, or other nonprofit that helped the hungry and unhoused members of their community. Then, for every 100 cups of soup sold, a gallon of soup was donated to the chosen organization.
I thought long and hard about what kind of soup I should create for this program. This soup needed to encapsulate all the best qualities of soup. It should be warm and comforting, of course. I also appreciate a wholesome soup that’s filling enough to be a complete meal. Most importantly, this soup needed to be broadly appealing and taste great. After all, I wanted it to sell well so the soup kitchens and shelters would reap the benefits!
Meet Ann Fulton, the recipe developer and cook behind The Fountain Avenue Kitchen where she has been sharing time-tested recipes for the last 12 years.
When I checked recently, it looked like the Get Soup! Give Soup! event last occurred in 2018. If someone brought it back or started a similar program, however, I’d gladly share this soup recipe—or create a new one!
In the meantime, you can enjoy the following lentil soup, which became a customer favorite, in the comfort of your home. In the original spirit of the recipe, you could even share some with a friend or neighbor. Such a simple act might just make someone’s day.
From The Fountain Avenue Kitchen: Tuscan Lentil Soup
The following ingredients can be sourced at Lancaster Central Market and nearby Lancaster City businesses:
- Italian pork or turkey sausage from Breakaway Farms or The Turkey Lady
- Onion, carrots, potato, celery, kale, and garlic from Barr’s, Brogue Hydroponics, or Stoltzfus Farms
- Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes from The Herb Shop
- Diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and lentils from Lemon Street Market
- Balsamic vinegar from Season’s Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom
- Parmesan cheese from S. Clyde Weaver
For the full recipe, visit The Fountain Avenue Kitchen.
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