May 7, 2013

Paleo Tuscan Soup

This was inspired by a copycat recipe from Olive Garden called "Zuppa Toscana."  It took a few tweaks to get it to work with our low-carb diet.  It's still a tasty, creamy soup that's great for cold evenings at home.


Ingredients:
1 pound Italian sausage (or Italian seasoned ground turkey)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 steamer bags of cauliflower florets
1/2 onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
3 cans chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 or 3 stalks kale, chopped

Directions:
1.  Cook the sausage and red pepper flakes in a pan until the meat is no longer pink.  Set aside in a colander to drain off the grease.  While the meat is cooking, steam the cauliflower in the microwave according to the package directions and set aside to cool
2.  Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook a few minutes, until tender.  If you used ground turkey, there won't be much grease leftover, and you might have to add a bit of oil to cook the vegetables effectively. 
3.  Add the onions, garlic, bacon, chicken broth and cauliflower to a large pot and heat to boiling.  Boil for twenty minutes, using a spoon or spatula to stir and break down the cauliflower.
4.  Reduce the heat and add the milk and sausage, heat for a few minutes.  Stir in the kale just before serving.