Creole Sausage and Lentil Soup

Spicy sausage soup chases the chill away!

Makes 10 cups

PREP TIME: 10 minutes 
COOK  TIME:  50 minutes 

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons dehydrated minced onion
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 bay leaf
5 cups water
1 pound precooked spicy link sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Combine lentils, onion, garlic powder, bay leaf and water in 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. 

Add sausage, tomatoes, celery, green pepper and salt; simmer an additional 15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.  Remove bay leaf.  Serve hot.

Nutrition information per serving (1/8th of recipe): calories 288; total fat 15 g; saturated fat 5 g; cholesterol 44 mg; sodium 962 mg; total carbohydrate 21 g; dietary fiber 7 g; protein 18 g