I'm on the slippery slope to 40 and I'm working my way to being as healthy as possible in mind, body and soul. I have an awesome husband and three fluffy kitties. I love to run, cook and help others, but I'm always looking for more ways to improve my life and the lives around me. I also have a weird sense of humor, so be warned.Turkey, Kale and Bean Soup
The temperature overnight was in the 30′s and there is no denying that winter is on its way.
But that doesn’t mean I have to like it! 
Since I went a bit nuts at the farmers market last week, I needed a way to use up some of that kale.
Enter the easiest soup recipe EVER: my Turkey, Kale and Bean Soup! It’s warm, spicy and hearty, plus with all that kale in it, it’s packed with nutrients.
I’m pretty sure I could eat this every night!
So assemble your ingredients and read on!
A light but filling soup bursting with turkey sausage, Cannellini beans and tons of nutritious kale. Serve with a crusty bit of bread to dip in the warm and spicy broth. Perfect for those chilly days.
Ingredients
- 5 links hot turkey sausage, casings removed
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 - 15oz cans of Cannellini beans (a.k.a. White Kidney Beans)
- 8 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 10 cups kale, stems removed and torn into bite sized pieces
- Black pepper
- Kosher salt (optional)
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the turkey sausage in a large stock pot over medium high heat. When browned, add the garlic and saute together for a minute.
- Rinse the beans in a colander under hot water.
- Add the beans, chicken stock and all the kale into the pot. Don't be alarmed with the mountain of kale you need to fit in the pot, just stuff it in there! Bring to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid. Let simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir. You'll notice the kale has wilted significantly!
- Taste the broth and add black pepper and salt as needed (I omitted the salt to keep the sodium levels down). If you want a bit more heat, add a little (less than 1/2 tsp) red pepper flake. For me, the hot turkey sausage gives the broth enough punch. Just remember to add the red pepper flake sparingly: you can always add more, but you can't take it back out!
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the kale is done to your preference.
Note: this recipe can easily be halved (I use 2 1/2 sausage links and freeze the rest in a zip top freezer bag), but if you’re like me, you’ll need the full recipe to satisfy that soup craving!
It’s farmers market day and you know what that means! More kale! I hope my fridge can handle all the kale I’m going to be stuffing into it! 
I did find out that you can freeze kale by just removing the stems and tossing the leaves into a freezer bag – no blanching required! Since I don’t eat it raw, this will be perfect for mid-winter soup cravings! I see a lot of kale trimming and tearing in my future!
