Recipe: Sausage, kale & white bean soup

The weather here has been very gloomy with either high fog days, foggy days, or rainy days.

My usual lunch is a salad heavy on the veggies, but it's hard eating a cold lunch when the weather is doom and gloom.

This soup is as much of a staple in my home as chicken noodle is... And chili; i make a mean chili. The sausage makes it rich without being heavy, and the white beans can be substituted with lentils, or potatoes. Kale is the final healthy touch.

1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried opal basil **
3-4 cups chicken stock
2 cup white beans (white kidney, butter beans OR potatoes, or red/green lentils)
1 bunch of kale chopped
Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
parmesan or smoked Gouda optional **

Brown the sausage in a stock pot. Add diced onion and minced garlic and cook until transparent. Add beans (or lentils, or potatoes) and cook a few minutes.

Add herbs and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until the starchy vegetable is cooked through.

Add Kale and cook 5-10 minutes until kale is softened and cooked through.

Serve. Makes 4 servings, top with shredded cheese or enjoy the deliciousity on its own.


**my family grows opal basil through the summer and dries it so we have a years supply (for winter soups AND Armenian recipes). You can use any basil. I just prefer opal!

** parmesan is my usual soup topper but I had left over smoked Gouda from a vino evening and wanted to use it up. It was DELICIOUS. #win #soupwin