Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

It’s really cold outside, like super polar vortex cold. On my walk to work a couple days ago I swear my face froze off. I haven’t felt it since. It's scary, but not that scary. This is when my Florida roots really start showing. Who has time for single digit temps? Not this girl. No no no.

In this weather all I want to eat is oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch, and soup for dinner. It gets real weird. Since I can’t live on chicken pho alone for the next two months, I have been experimenting with different cultures in my soup pot. This week I took major liberties with the traditional Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup which usually features white potatoes and sliced Portuguese linked sausage. Since I (like 90% of the American female population) am watching what I eat this January, I used spicy Italian chicken sausage for the protein and sweet potatoes for the starch. The result was a simple yet robust man-approved soup. 

This hearty recipe will keep you coming back for more, and it only takes about 45 minutes to make from start to finish.I think that is called a win-win situation.

Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

Servings: 8

Nutrition Per serving: Calories 250, Total fat 10g, Fiber 5g, Protein 15g

Time in Kitchen: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ pounds loose spicy or mild Italian sausage (I used chicken sausage for caloric reduction)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups organic low sodium chicken stock
• 6 cups kale, de-stemmed and hand torn

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat. Remove sausage from casing and add to the pot, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it browns; about 3-4 minutes. 
2. Add onion, carrot, celery, salt and red pepper flakes and cook until onions are translucent; about 7 to 8 minutes. 
3. Add sweet potatoes, chicken stock, and more salt to taste. Bring to a simmer then cover, until sweet potatoes are tender; about 15 minutes. 
4. Add kale and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 5 minutes.