Many cultures believe that eating legumes on New Year’s Day brings good luck.

A Quart Of Homemade Chicken Stock Or Packaged Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Two 15 Ounce Cans Of Lentil Beans

A Pound Of Sweet Or Hot Italian Suasage Links

3/4 Cup Of Finely Diced Carrot

3/4 Cup Of Finely Diced Celery

A Cup Of Finely Diced Spanish Onion

Three Minced Garlic Cloves

A Tablespoon Of Olive Oil

Two Tablespoons Of Finely Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley

A Tablespoon Of Sea Salt (Approximate)

Two Teaspoons Of Ground Black Pepper (Approximate)

Into a soup pot, add the olive oil and the sausage. On medium high heat, brown the sausage on all sides. After the sausage links are browned, remove and set them aside to cool.

Add the carrot, the celery, the onion, the garlic, two teaspoons of sea salt, and a teaspoon of ground black pepper to the pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the brown bits that have accumulated. Cook while stirring frequently for five minutes. Add the lentil beans with the can juices to the pot and stir the mixture well. Add the chicken stock and turn the heat up to high. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the soup for 35 minutes stirring occasionally. After 35 minutes, taste the soup and add more sea salt and/or ground black pepper, if desired.   

Cut the sausage into about one inch wide pieces and add it to the soup. Add the chopped parsley and serve.