Second Helpings:Lentil, Rice, and Sausage Soup.More Phase One Success Stories.

This is a post for my new feature "Second Helpings" in which I show how you can make a second dish from a recipe I have previously featured on Kalyn's Kitchen. Above is the Lentils, Rice, and Sausage dish which I turned into the delicious soup below. I featured the recipe for Lentil, Rice, and Sausage Casserole as part of a Weekend Herb Blogging post on lentils. It was tasty, and I froze the leftovers. Recently I wanted something more warming, since it was kind of a dreary day in Salt Lake City. I was going out shopping, so I used my Crock Pot to turn the casserole into a delicious soup, which I ate topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese for a great dinner when I returned home. Lentils and the Uncle Ben's Converted Rice in this recipe are both considered "good" carbs for phase two or three of The South Beach Diet.

Second Helpings:
LENTIL, RICE, AND SAUSAGE SOUP
(4-5 generous servings)

2-3 cups leftover lentil, rice and sausage casserole (see link above for that recipe)
4 cups chicken stock (or 4 cups water with 2 T chicken soup base)
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (I recommend Muir Glen canned tomatoes if you can find them)
1 T dried basil
1 tsp. ground fennel (optional)
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 bay leaves

Put all ingredients in crock pot and heat on low setting 4-6 hours or on high setting 2-3 hours. This could also be cooked on a low simmer on top of the stove for about one hour. Do not overcook or the rice will get mushy. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

If you like the idea of learning how to make something from leftovers, another blog that does this is Recipes from a Gluten Free Goddess, where Karina does leftover gluten free leftover transformations.

More Phase One Success Stories
I've been asking people to let me know if they have had success with the South Beach Diet, and yesterday I got this comment from Rene:

On my second week of Phase 1, mainly because I started reading this "food" blog a while ago :-) and figured what the heck, maybe this South Beach thing will work. I've lost about 8 pounds, my boyfriend has lost around 10. I can't tell you how much your blog has helped, with yummy recipes, fun reading and cool products (I started using Dreamfields pasta last year even before the diet because of reading your blog). We've been eating your version of the breakfast muffins (thanks for the two wrapper suggestion) from day one.
THANK YOU THANK YOU!

The South Beach Diet has been so life-changing for me personally that it's wonderful to hear from others who have had a similar experience. Rene, you are so welcome! Although I consider Kalyn's Kitchen mainly a food blog, not a diet blog, I love knowing I have helped someone else find a healthy way of eating that helps them lose weight.

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