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Thursday, February 19, 2015

An easy, delicious, and healthier Copy-Cat version of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup 
Copy-Cat Recipe

Zuppa Toscana Soup

This soup is delicious. It has just a touch of heat, and a touch of sweet from the fennel in the Italian sausage. I made my version more robust and filling. It is comforting on cold nights, yet with a salad, it is great for warm weather too. It is very easy to make, and good for when I am pressed for time. Serve it with a nice hearty salad and you are good to go. Yes, bread sticks are good with it too, but I'm not posting my wheat flour garlic Parmesan bread stick recipe on this healthy eating blog. When we develop a fabulous gluten-free bread stick, then I will post it here.

I like knowing and having control over everything that goes into this recipe, unlike eating it at a restaurant. The BioSalt really helps with water retention issues in the body.

I add quite a bit more kale and potatoes than the restaurant version, frequently their's is a little skimpy on the goods. Kale is so beneficial for your body and this is a delicious way to eat it!


Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe:

1 pound mild sweet Italian sausage
1 medium to large yellow onion, diced small
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 32-ounce carton organic chicken stock
10 ounces purified water (add more water to maintain the liquid level as needed)
3 to 4 organic russet potatoes, scrubbed, quartered, and sliced thin (do not peel)
1/2 to 3/4 t. dried hot red pepper flakes
4 to 6 c. chopped organic kale, woody stems removed (6 cups is about 7 ounces)
40 grinds black pepper, to taste
2 t. BioSalt or sea salt (recipe on this blog)
2 t. onion salt (recipe on this blog)
1 c. organic whole milk
1 c. organic heavy cream


Method:

Saute the sausage and onions in a soup pot until the sausage is crumbly and browned.
Add the garlic and saute in minute.
Add the chicken stock, potatoes, red pepper flakes, and water. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Let simmer until the potatoes are barely tender, but not mushy (about 30 minutes).
Add the chopped kale and simmer a few more minutes, until kale is tender.
Add the milk and cream and warm through with out boiling.
Add the BioSalt and onion salt.
Dilute further with water if it has evaporated.


Tips:

I like the bulk sausage from Sprouts Farmer's Market. It has no MSG or Nitrates, and is gluten-free.This is the ingredient list: Pork, water, sweet Italian seasoning, evaporated cane juice, salt, spices, dehydrated garlic, oil of fennel.

You can remove the sausage casings if you can't find bulk sausage.

You can use 2 cups rich coconut milk in place of the dairy if a Low-Carb or PALEO soup is desired.

I find that salting the soup at the end uses less salt.

If the soup gets too salty, just add a touch more water. The BioSalt is a balanced salt for the body.

You may put all of the ingredients in a large crock pot and cook on high heat 3 to 4 hours.


Enjoy!

Leila




Start by browning the sausage and onions in a large soup pot


Getting the rest of the  ingredients together


The sausage, onions, and garlic are browned


Chop the kale and potatoes


The soup before the milk and cream were added


The finished soup


Author, Leila Wood.

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