Potato and Kale Soup aka Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana

Ready yourself for a dirty word. Got your ears covered? Wincing yet? Kale. Yep, this nutritional powerhouse takes center stage for this recipe. Don't leave yet! This soup is both nutritious AND delicious, not to mention hearty! Actually, it reminds me of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, which happens to be what I got at said restaurant every single time (now with Ruby's dairy allergy, Olive Garden is sadly a no-go). Needless to say, I was pumped to change up a few recipes to come up with this yummy one!



If you still doubt this soup despite my promises of deliciousness, test it out for the health benefits and because it is a great soup to share with your baby, minus the sausage. I'm not a nutritionist, so I'll let "The Cleaner Plate Club" by Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin speak for me. They explain that kale is high in beta-carotene, vitamins A, B6, K, and C, fiber, folic acid, manganese, potassium, and absorbable calcium. It also offers sulphur-containing phytonutrients. All of these together means a loewr risk of cancer (including breast and ovarian), healthy bones, boosted vision, strong immune system, and healthy lungs, joints, and hearts. Phew! Like I said, nutritional powerhouse!

Anywho, I hope you're convinced to at least try this recipe, as I promise it makes kale taste better than any of the kale chips I've ever tasted. Ruby and Sam both adored it, and Sam was shocked that he was eating kale. I cheated and told him after he started ;)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage (no casings)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 cups chicken broth (homemade bone broth is best)
2 pounds potatoes, chopped into eighths
8 stems kale, veined and chopped
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

Directions:

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. When the sausage starts to brown, add the garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes. Set aside the mixture.

Pull out a large pot or stockpot and add the broth and potatoes. Bring them to a boil, then turn down the heat and let bubble for 20 minutes.

Add in the kale, seasoning, and sausage mixture and bring back to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Simple, tasty, and highly nutritious! To feed to Ruby, I strained the soup and removed the sausage pieces.