Spicy Sausage, Lentil, and Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil or more, depending on your pan
• 1 onion chopped small
• 1 cup diced celery finely
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic or less, but I like a lot of garlic in this
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes more or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano dried Greek or Turkish, or regular oregano will work, but don't use Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed ground, optional, but this really adds to the flavor
• 19 1/2 ounces italian sausage hot turkey, check the label to find turkey Italian sausage with less than 10% fat for South Beach Diet
• 8 cups chicken stock or use 5 cans chicken broth; 14.5 oz. can, and freeze the extra 8 oz.
• 3 cans tomatoes with juice petite dice, 14.5 oz. can
• 1 1/2 cups brown lentils dried
• 2 bay leaves dried
• ground black pepper
• salt
• fresh parsley chopped, for garnish, optional

Nutrition

• Calories : 560 calories
• Carbohydrate : 43 grams
• Cholesterol : 70 milligrams
• Fat : 29 grams
• Fiber : 15 grams
• Protein : 31 grams
• SaturatedFat : 9 grams
• Sodium : 1220 milligrams
• Sugar : 9 grams