As the weather gets colder and we are knee deep in the holiday madness (I mean excitement!), it’s helpful to have a few recipes on hand to soothe your soul, your hormones, and your digestion. One of my favorite healthy comfort food recipes is my Italian Sausage Minestrone Soup. It’s gluten free, dairy free, grain free, and full of nourishing vitamins, minerals, and proteins.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped (I like to include the leaves)
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp of Italian seasoning
1 tsp of smoked paprika
2 lbs raw Italian chicken sausage
1 box of chopped or diced tomatoes (I prefer using the boxed vs. the canned to avoid endocrine disrupting chemicals)
1 box of cannellini beans (also used the boxed instead of the canned to minimize chemical exposure)
2 quarts of chicken broth (homemade is best or buy a good quality brand)
salt and pepper to taste
garnish with fresh parsley, black pepper, and red pepper
Method
In a large soup pot, saute the onion, celery, carrots, and spices in the olive oil, after a few minutes add the raw sausage and cook through. Then, add the tomatoes and beans and stir for a minute or two. Then, add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes – 2 hours.
Serve topped with fresh, chopped parsley, freshly ground black pepper, and a bit of red pepper if you like more spice. (I do!)
I recommend serving with a good quality homemade bread. My favorite is Farmhouse Seed Bread from my friends Tom and Alissa at Nourishing Meals dipped in a good quality olive oil. (I use almond flour instead of cornmeal, brown rice flour instead of sweet rice flour, and I mix the toppings into the bread.) This bread is very flexible!
Enjoy!
