souper easy: red lentil and spicy sausage soup

Soup is one reason I like winter. I love a good one pot meal, soup is the original one pot right? It is so easy to cook a big batch and have it there for lunches a few days after. OK I confess I haven't got the kids to eat this but adults have to eat too right? Does anyone else have success with toddlers and soup, I'd love to hear any tips and tricks!

For this fast, easy and nourishing soup you will need:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 2 chorizo or similar spicy sausages
• 1 red chili (or chili powder to your taste)
• 1 cup red lentils 
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1L chicken or vegetable stock
• sea salt
• cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil, diced onion, crushed garlic, chorizo and chilli and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the onion is tender and the chorizo is golden, slice that sausage.
2. Add the lentils, stock, bring to boil and cook for 5 minutes to get those lentils started well, the acid in the tomatoes inhibits their cooking (so Ray McVinnie tells me in a Sunday Magazine one time). 
3. Add the tomatoes in for the last 10-15 minutes of cooking time.
4. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper.
5. Great with ciabata or pita bread or you know, toast. 

Yum! The better your sausage the better the soup I think. Vegetarians could omit the sausage and add some smoked paprika and some capsicum and this soup would still be awesome.