Lentil Stew w/smoked turkey and sweet potatoes

Another great recipe from Williams-Sonoma Fast + Fresh! This one was delicious the night I made it, and even more flavorful for lunch the next day.

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 3 tsp. minced fresh thyme
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used veggie)
• 1 lb. smoked turkey leg, deboned, skinned and diced (about 2 cups meat) I used 2 hot Italian sausages as that's what I had on-hand...I'm sure the smoked meat would create a different flavor
• 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 1 1/4 lb. orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 bunch kale or chard, stems removed and leaves chopped
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Optional: I added some diced tomatoes to this because I love tomatoes and put them in everything :)

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and celery and sauté until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tsp. of the thyme and cook, stirring, until the onion is brown, about 4 minutes. Add the broth, turkey and lentils. Cover, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and simmer until almost tender, about 12 minutes. Add the kale and simmer until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season the stew with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining 1 tsp. thyme. Ladle the stew into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Serves 6.