I tell you the truth when I say we ate the whole pot to the last drop, and I think I personally ate six bowls, because I have the secret for an easy, delicious soup broth and you won’t believe how easy it is.

Before I list my ingredients, keep in mind you can replace or add in more ingredients as you see fit. There are no hard and fast rules for vegetable soup vegetables, but I do have a few tips on how to make sure the soup has flavor with a good broth.

Making the Best EASY Soup Broth

While the vegetables you add will certainly add flavor to your broth, you want to start with as much flavor as possible. This is why I do this:

• 2 Quarts of organic boxed broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable broth).
• 1 large can of tomatoes. (I squeeze the tomatoes with my hands and add in all the juices). I prefer using San Marzano Tomatoes, but you could also add in a good tomato puree. It’s the mix of the broth with tomato that tastes so good.

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More Hearty Soups from Spinach Tiger

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Homemade Vegetable Soup

Paleo, Low Carb Vegetable Soup, Easy

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword vegetable soup

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 16 oz can San Marzano Whole Tomatoes or tomato puree
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 4 carrots diced
• 1 turnip
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 whole cauliflower head
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper more to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas optional
• parsley
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano for serving
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes to add extra heat
• 1 cup frozen peas or white beans optional

Instructions

• Put oil, broth, and tomatoes in dutch oven (or crock pot). Use your hands to break up the tomatoes out of the can and include all the juice.
• Add carrot coins, cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces, diced celery and diced onion.
• Season with herbs, spices, salt and pepper.
• Cook low and slow for two hours or four hours on low in crock pot.
• Add peeled, cubed turnip in the last hour.
• Add frozen peas or canned white beans. Rinse beans before adding. Add peas in the last 30 minutes. You can add the beans anytime.
• Make sure kale is ripped into bite-sized pieces. If using Tuscan kale, remove the rib.
• Add kale in last hour also.
• Add in red chili flakes if you want to add heat. You can add a dash or up to a teaspoon.
• Serve with grated parmesan cheese or pecorino. If you use pecorino, consider its saltiness before adding more salt.

Notes

Regarding vegetables. You can delete something you don’t have or like and add in other veggies such as broccoli, cabbage, or green beans. Make sure everything is bite-sized.

The post Recipe for Homemade Vegetable Soup appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

When I bring this soup to a soup potluck, I will always get several requests for the recipe. That tells you everything you need to know about this flavorful, classic, soup, that can serve as a full meal.

If you’ve been to Carrabba’s, you may have already eaten something similar, as their sausage lentil soup is very popular. I’m inspired by their soup and added in my own touches, and tastes.

Which Lentils to Use for Lentil Soup

Truthfully, I wondered this myself so I ventured to Whole Foods to buy two kinds from their bins and do some testing.

• French Lentils, also known as Puy Lentils, from the Puy Region in France. Petite, green, and hold up well in soups, stews, retaining their shape,
• Brown Lentils, more common, hold shape, but not as well as French lentils.

I made two pots of soup with each lentil and preferred the French lentils for their structure and taste. However, the brown lentils will make a fine sausage lentil soup also.

The two different times I made this soup, I did the sausage differently. One time I made cooked the sausage, removed the casing after cooking and sliced into coins. The other times and the easiest way is to purchase loose sausage and cook that. Either way is fine.

Process

• Cook sausage in dutch oven you will be making soup in. Remove from pan.
• Cook carrots, celery, onion (garlic) in same pan until softened.
• Add in white wine. Cook alcohol off.
• Add in tomatoes, (crushed with hand), broth, sausage, lentils.
• Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, until lentils are softened, about 40 minutes.
• Add kale in during last ten minutes.
• Serve with Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

Add Greens to Sausage Lentil Soup

We love an extra green in a soup like kale or swiss chard. Both greens hold up well and give a nice added texture and color. If you use Tuscan Kale, be sure to remove the center rib and just tear it into bite sized pieces.

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Hearty Soups from Spinach Tiger

• Italian Wedding Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Beef and Cabbage Soup
• Beef Vegetable Soup
• Eggplant Soup with Italian Sausage

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Sausage Lentil Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword lentil soup, lentils, sausage lentil kale soup, sausage lentil soup

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 servings

Calories 252kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• 2 carrots diced
• 1 onion diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup white wine optional
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups lentils
• 2 cups kale chopped
• 4 tablespoons pecorino romano cheese
• 1 16 oz Italian Plum Tomatoes
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

• Heat oil in dutch oven you will be making the soup in. Add loose sausage, break up into bite sized pieces, brown.
  
• Remove sausage to a bowl.
• In that same pan or pot, sauté carrot, onion, celery for five minutes. Add minced garlic. Sauté for five minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add minced garlic and cook for one minute.
• Add white wine and cook for five minutes. Add chicken broth.
• Using your hands crush the whole tomatoes with the puree into the pot.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Rinse lentils and look over for pebbles, etc. Add lentils to the soup.
  
• Bring to boil and then turn to simmer. Add fresh thyme. (Remove stems later).
• Once your lentils are cooked through (about 50 minutes), add kale. You will want to make sure to remove the inside ribs (if Tuscan Kale) and tear into bite sized pieces. Cook another 30 minutes on low.
• If you want to add heat, add 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes. You could also choose to put the chili flakes on the table and have people choose themselves.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve with parmesan or pecorino romano on the side.
  
• You could also garnish with parsley. I usually don't do that when I use kale.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 8g | Fiber: 6g

The post Italian Sausage Lentil Kale Soup appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

You can keep this grain free or serve with orzo. I served the orzo on the side, as this makes this soup a lot more family friendly (Without the pasta, it’s a perfect keto or low carb soup).

While this is a simple soup, it’s a hearty rustic soup that requires a little bit of finesse.

The original soup had chunky tomatoes, but I refined the broth to a tomato broth using a hand blender. The original soup had arugula, which I love a lot, but I thought kale would hold up much better, and it did. You could use any green you prefer, but I wouldn’t use spinach, unless you only add it raw as you serve it, so it doesn’t disintegrate.

I didn’t make the meatballs super small or bite-sized, because I wanted them to be tender. I made them slightly smaller than usual, baked them for 15 minutes, and added them to the soup about 30 minutes before serving.

The result of this super easy to make recipe was nothing short of spectacular.

The broth is a light tomato broth, the meatballs are grain free and orzo is an option to add in for those in the family who eat pasta.

When I fed it to the family, I added in some cooked orzo. The key to this soup is tender meatballs, sultry tomato broth, greens, and lots of Pecorino Romano cheese.

I talk about this cheese all the time and how we are addicted to it. It’s a sheep’s cheese, whereas Parmesan is a cow’s milk cheese. It aged, dry, salty, tangy and often okay for people who are lactose intolerant. You could even add a dollop of ricotta cheese.

Warm yourself up with this delicious easy soup.

NOTES: You can keep the orzo separate and serve it as an option. This way those who are gluten free or carb counting can thoroughly enjoy this soup too. Let me know how much you’ve enjoyed this soup.

More Ideas for Italian Meatball Soup

• Add any macaroni, such as dittalini, or tiny shells.
• Replace kale with arugula, or spinach.
• Add dollops of ricotta.
• Add rice or cauliflower rice.
• Add a can of white cannellini beans.
• Add any leftover vegetables.
• Add a little heavy cream to the broth.

Soup Bowls

These soup bowls (amazon) are perfect for this soup.

More Italian Style Soups from Spinach Tiger

• Italian Summer Vegetable Soup
• Italian Sausage Lentil and Kale Soup
• Spicy Italian Soup with Sausage
• Italian Eggplant Soup
• Lentil Sausage Soup
• Quick and Easy Ministrone Soup
• Ribolita, a Tuscan Soup

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Homemade Italian Meatballs Soup

Italian Meatball Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword keto meatballs

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Baking Meatballs 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds grass fed beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork or more beef
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian Parsley divided
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 quarts boxed chicken broth
• 28 ounce San Marzano Tomatoes (can)
• 2 cups kale or spinach
• 1 cup dry orzo optional

Instructions

• Season meat with salt and pepper
• Add remaining ingredients (except greens and orzo )and very loosely, gently mix together. You don't want the meat to be compacted, as that will make the meatballs tough. (Save some parsley for garnishing. Have extra pecorino for topping soup.)
• Form into medium sized balls. You can make these into bite sized meatballs, but I prefer larger meatballs, which are more tender.
• Place foil or parchment paper on baking sheet.
• Bake meatballs for 15 minutes at 375 degrees or until outsides seems browned. Set aside.
• In soup pot, add just enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan. Add can of tomatoes, crushing with your hands. Add in broth. Cook on medium heat until tomato broth is hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Use immersion blender to blend the tomatoes to make a cleaner broth.
• Cook orzo al dente according to directions in separate pot minus one minute. You can also use small macaroni. Add to broth to finish cooking.
• Add in meatballs and optional greens.
• You can choose to serve orzo on the side or put into the soup.
• Serve with parmesan or pecorino romano. Garnish with more parsley.

Notes

Milk: You can skip milk. Do not substitute with almond or coconut milk as it will affect the taste. If you do skip milk and are using grass-fed beef, add a few tablespoons olive oil. Another way to add in some fat and flavor is to add in some chopped proscuitto, about a slice per pound.

 

The post Italian Meatball Soup in Tomato Broth appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

However, I have to have some healthy sides and salads to balance out the meal.

These are a collection of unexpected healthy thanksgiving sides that will add some brightness to a heavy meal and are great to take along as a guest.

Salads: Unexpected Healthy Thanksgiving Sides

• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apples.
• Festive Kale Salad, Butternut Squash, Honey Rosemary Vinaigrette
• Kale and Apple Salad with Golden Raisins, Maple Vinaigrette
• Paleo Bacon and Broccoli Salad, Honey Mustard Dressing

Greens: Unexpected Healthy Thanksgiving Sides

• Sauteed Swiss Chard. – Not only colorful, but a great unexpected green.
• Green Beans Almondine – An easy, great side anytime of year.
• Low Carb Green Beans and Brussels Casserole – A splendid remake.
• Roasted Golden Beet Carpaccio – Thinly sliced with orange walnut vinaigrette.
• Cauliflower Mash – Not a green a but a good sub for mashed potatoes.

Just in case you are looking for the most loved side of the decade, Brussels Sprouts, I have several options and these are the favorite. Remember do NOT OVERCOOK.

Brussels Sprouts – An Expected Side at Thanksgiving

• Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Veggies (Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Broccoli)
• Five Minute Flash Fried Brussels Sprouts – The way restaurants make them.
• Butternut Squash with Brussels Sprouts and a Secret Ingredient
• Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Parmesan

The left are flash fried. If that’s too much, the right are garlic roasted.

Go Here to Find My Entire List of Low-Carb Thanksgiving Recipes

Cheers to a healthy, happy Thanksgiving this season. As I strive to count my blessings, I pray to be a blessing to my family, my community, my country.

The post Unexpected Healthy Thanksgiving Sides and Salads appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Last Saturday, I was the Nolensville farmer’s market where you can find me featuring our keto baked goods. I and purchased the biggest, most beautiful rainbow swiss chard.

You could replace the swiss chard with kale if you like. Olive oil, garlic and sausage make greens oh so tasty.

Swiss chard is considered a nutritional powerhouse, an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, as well as a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, and dietary fiber. Swiss chard does contain oxolates and may not be the be the best choice for those concerned with kidney stones.

If this is a concern, kale would be a better choice and will also work well in this recipe. We have a lot of kale recipes here, so you know we love our kale. I wouldn’t use spinach for this recipe, as it doesn’t have the heft and texture this recipe needs.

The Process

Use loose Italian sausage, mild or hot, and crumble into a hot pan that has been oiled first. Use a wooden spoon and continue stirring to get every sausage crumble fully cooked. Drain and set aside. Clean out pan and use to sautè greens in olive oil and garlic.

Olive oil, garlic and salt are always a great start to greens. The crumbled Italian sausage adds fat, protein and ton of flavor. I generally fry a few cloves of garlic in the oil and then remove, before adding my greens. I don’t sautè the greens in the sausage oil, because the olive oil really adds the flavor I’m looking for. Once softened, add sausage back in, stir up, add dollops of ricotta cheese (which is an option) and bake for ten minutes. Finish off with grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano. If you want heat, sprinkle soe red chili flakes to taste. Enjoy. This is a delicious supper and is great left over.

Notes: You can substitute pork Italian sausage with turkey Italian Sausage. You can use mustard greens, Swiss chard, kale or any green that has heft (not spinach). You could even use broccoli rabe.

This is a dish that is so easy, so good, we will make this every few weeks. It reheats beautifully.

Similar Dishes from Spinach Tiger

• Broccoli Rabe and Sausage
• How to Sautè Swiss Chard Italian Style
• Italian Ground Beef Kale Stir Fry
• Swiss Chard Nectarine Salad
• Melted Kale
• Easy Collard Greens
• Low Carb Italian Sausage Recipe with Spaghetti Squash

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Italian Sausage and Greens Stir Fry

Crumbled Italian Sausage with Greens Stir Fry for an Easy Healthy Low Carb Dinner

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Italian sausage, swiss chard

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Swiss Chard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes
• salt
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons Pecorino or Parmesan freshly grated
• 1 pound Loose Italian Sausage
• 4 ounces ricotta cheese

Instructions

• Trim the tips of the swiss chard. Discard.
• Rinse, dry, and chop swiss chard. Cut the stems into a small dice. Cut the leaves larger, as they will reduce in size.
• Heat frying pan prior to adding oil.
• Add oil and turn to medium heat.
• Add garlic cloves and sautè until golden. Remove and discard. Do not over brown.
• Add chard leaves and stem to pan and sautè until softened.
• Add Parmesan or Pecorino and toss.
• Season with red chili flakes to taste, and add salt and pepper.
• Remove greens to a bowl in order to cook sausage in same pan.
• You may need to add a tablespoon of oil to pan. Crumble sausage and cook until cooked through.
• Add greens back in and mix with sausage.
• Add dollops of ricotta cheese and bake in oven for 10 minutes.
• Sprinkled Pecorino Romano or parmesan.

The post Italian Sausage and Greens Stir Fry with Ricotta appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This is one of those salads I  made over and over and over. It’s just that good and it’s a wonderful way to usher in the Fall with kale and apples dressed with a maple vinaigrette. 

Kale and Apple Salad is great with Maple Vinaigrette

Maple vinaigrette is easy to make and so perfect for a heavy tough green like kale. I  use maple syrup, dijon mustard, olive oil and apple cider vinegar.   

This is the perfect pot luck salad. It can be dressed with this cider maple vinaigrette and made ahead of time. Greens are royal produce and kale is king. I love it for it heartiness. It doesn’t wilt easily, making it nothing like spinach at all. It maintains a chew even when sautéed, and it stays very edible long after it’s dressed.

I added in a chopped sautèed sweet potato which was tossed with olive oil,  maple syrup and cayenne pepper. You can leave this out if you want your salad to be lighter.

Every single time I  bring this salad to a party, people want the recipe and there is none left. People that think they don’t like kale love this salad.

Kale salad is even good left over if you ever have any left over. 

Tell me, do you have a go to dish for carting to dinner parties or potlucks.

More Salads Good for Parties from Spinach Tiger

Festive Kale Salad with Butternut Squash, Figs, Pears

Blue Cheese Salad Party Wedge

Caprese Party Salad

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Kale and Apple Salad with Raisins, Pecans, and a Cider Maple Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of lacinato or tuscan kale
• 1 apple in small slices with skin on
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 10 roasted walnuts or pecans
• 1 sweet potato
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less to your liking
• 3 teaspoon maple syrup divided (one for sweet potato, one for nuts, one for dressing)

Maple Vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon maple sryup can use a sugar free
• 2 tablespoons olive oil Start with one tablespoon and add as you need it

Instructions

• Carefully cut out the ribs of the kale. Rinse and dry.
• Cut into bite size pieces. Some people like kale finely chopped. That's an option.
• slice apples thinly with skins on
• toss walnuts or pecans with 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
• Roast walnuts for 5 minutes at 375. Set aside.
• Toss kale with apples, raisins and nuts.
• Peal and cut sweet potato into cubes. Toss with olive oil, cayenne pepper, salt and a teaspoon of maple syrup. Bake on baking sheet at 350 until done about 15 minutes. You can also saute on top of the stove.

Maple Vinaigrette Dressing

• Place maple syrup, mustard and vinegar, olive oil in blender or magic bullet. (I used my Vitamix).
• Toss salad with dressing. You may not need all the dressing.
• Make ahead. I made salad and dressed it two hours before eating it. The left over salad went into the refrigerator and we ate it the next day. It was still good.

The post Kale and Apple Salad with Golden Raisins, Maple Vinaigrette appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

As an Italian I grew up with a lot of soup and there were always two things on the table. Freshly grated parmesan cheese (or pecorino) and extra virgin olive oil. We couldn’t imagine not having a drizzle of olive oil.

When I first posted this, I wrote about Spectrum® Cayenne Pepper Olive Oil to spice up the soup, loaded with vegetables and give it a memorable kick. 

That drizzle at the end made my husband swoon, but it’s also part of the recipe itself. I’m not sure that cayenne oil is available any longer, but there are a few ways to spice up soup.

How to Spice up the Soup

There is another way to bring spice to soup and that’s with bomba sauce. I’m not sure if that’s easy to find anymore, but another option is to drizzle their extra virgin olive oil at the end and spice up the soup with the bomba sauce, which is fermented Calabrian chilis.

I’ve talked about bomba sauce before, which I purchase at Trader Joe’s, as it has that just right kind of heat.   If you don’t have bomba sauce or cayenne infused olive oil, you can add heat with crushed red pepper.

Olive oil can be drizzled into each bowl upon serving, adjusted for each person’s taste and accompanied with a good helping of Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

The Soup

This is the time of year that we are between summer and winter. We have the pick of the best vegetables from both seasons, including cabbage, tomatoes, and butternut squash.

You can make this soup fast or you can make this soup slow. You can make this in a slow cooker all night or all day, or on top of the stove in a dutch oven.

You can cut up every veggie yourself or you can use a selection of frozen. You can use a homemade bone broth like I did, or you can buy a nice organic boxed broth.

Add Seasonal Vegetables to Italian Soup with Sausage

You have options with vegetables. While the important ingredients of this soup include celery, onions, tomatoes, carrots and cabbage, feel free to add or subtract various vegetables you may have on hand. I’ve made this soup with broccoli and zucchini the first time and cubed butternut squash the second time.

If you happen to have some freshly picked seasonal vegetables, add them in. In the summer that would include yellow and green zucchini. In the winter, you might add in broccoli, cauliflower or butternut squash.

I like to sauté my carrots, onion, celery and cabbage for just a few minutes to drive flavor. The sausage is loose Italian sausage that is browned before adding to the soup.

Use Homemade or Organic Store Bought Broth for Italian Soup with Sausage

I always start with a good homemade bone broth and it works well with either my beef broth or chicken broth.  If time is short, I use an organic store bought broth.

My Favorite Italian Sausage

Our favorite Italian sausage comes from Butcher Box, a meat subscription service. I loved it so much, I became an affiliate.  We choose a custom box every month, and are so pleased knowing we are purchasing quality meat, humanely raised.

Easy Prep for Spicy Italian Soup with Sausage 

Let me assure you, once you take the twenty minutes to prep this soup, you can leave it. You will have enough for a few dinners, as it freezes well. 

More Spinach Tiger Soups that Love a Drizzle of Olive Oil

Homemade Beef Vegetable Soup

Italian Eggplant Soup with Sausage 

Italian Wedding Soup

30 Low Carb Vegetables with over 100 Recipes 

More Spinach Tiger Recipes with Italian Sausage

Italian Sausage Crusted Pizza

Italian Sausage with Creamy Spaghetti Squash

Italian Sausage Frittata

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Spicy Italian Soup with Sausage

Italian Soup with Sausage

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 4 quarts broth beef broth or chicken broth See Notes
• 1 large can San Marzano tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil to cook sausage
• 1 pound loose Italian sausage
• 1 large onion diced
• 4 carrots diced
• 4 celery stalks diced
• 2 turnips peeled
• 1 small head cabbage
• 1 can red beans
• 1 can white beans or chickpeas
• 1 tablespoon sea salt up to, taste as you go
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• handful parsley leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon bomba sauce see notes
• 1 to 2 cups chopped kale
• 1 handful parsley
• olive oil for drizzling
• Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese for Serving

Instructions

• Bone broth can be made in advance and frozen or started 24 hours in advance. Another option is to use 4 quarts store bought organic broth.
• Add broth to slow cooker. Turn cooker on to time you desire. I used the six hour time.
• Chop tomatoes, and add to broth along with the juices.
• Brown Sausage in large frying pan with oil.
• Remove sausage to a dish, and add celery, carrots, onion, cabbage to pan.
• Sauté lightly for just a few minutes to open up flavors. You are not fully cooking.
• Add sausage, and vegetables,(except for kale) to broth.
• Rinse beans with cold water. Drain. Add to broth.
• Add 2 tablespoons Spectrum Cayenne® Pepper Olive Oil
• Add in a handful of parsley, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper.
• Cook in slow cooker for 4 to six hours. I chose six hours.
• Stovetop Option: Cook on low for at least 2 hours making sure cabbage is cooked through.
• Remove ribs from kale. Chop. Add to soup about twenty minutes prior to serving., so that kale is not overcooked.
• Taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
• Garnish with chopped parsley.
• Serve with Spectrum® Cayenne Pepper Olive Oil and grated cheese.

Notes

Regarding broth, use either chicken or beef.

Instead of cayenne olive oil, use olive oil and add in red chili flakes according to the heat you prefer.

 

This site contains affiliate Amazon links which earn a small commission.

The post Spicy Italian Soup with Sausage Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

My Vitamix is truly a workhorse and a natural doctor in the kitchen. Just look at the color of this cold fighting smoothie which has blueberries, oranges, kale, apples, carrots, and even a little bit of red beet (for color). This was developed to boost the immune system of a sick child who had no appetite. The response upon the first sip, was “this is the best drink you ever made.” And, he drank the whole thing.

When kids are sick, they tend to refuse food, even homemade chicken soup. When I originally posted this, the boys were only 7 years old, bringing home colds. Today, the concern of a parent is even bigger, and it’s good to get pro-active and feed healthy super nutrition dense foods. 

That’s when my Vitamix performs its magic by taking whole foods and crushing them to a delicious, icy cold refreshing drink, delivering not just nutrition, but some needed quick energy.

Blueberries contained the most active antioxidants of any fresh fruit, thanks to their high levels of anthocyanins—one of the most potent antioxidants. Blueberries are also a brain food, so it’s a win all the way.

Kale helps clear congestion especially in the lungs.

Apple boosts the immune system, clears toxins through the liver,  aids in diarrhea and constipation (often a part of a cold virus.)

Carrots, rich is beta-carotene (Vitamin A). Aids immune system and lungs.

Beets – Aside from these healthy benefits, beets are high in carbohydrates. When children are sick, they don’t eat much, and beets can serve as energy fuel. I added a little bit of beets to this drink, more for color, as blueberries and kale together don’t look appetizing and kids see their food first. Make it look good. 

This cold fighting smoothie is dairy free. 

The benefits of a cold fighting smoothie with blueberries, orange and kale are enormous, but the main thing about smoothies is that they are not all created equal. This is completely free of any dairy products which may promote mucus, and are tasty enough for someone not feeling so well to enjoy.

So tell me what kind of winter has it been at your house? This cold fighting smoothie is not just for when kids get a cold. It’s a great preventative measure.

More Smoothies from Spinach Tiger

Vitamin C Smoothie and Tips for Treating a Fever

Two Green Smoothie Recipes

Low Carb Chocolate Smoothie with Avocado

Red Beet Smoothie

Carob Peanut Butter Carob Banana Smoothie

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Vitamix Cold Fighting Smoothie for Sick Kids with Blueberries, Orange and Kale

A smoothie made in the Vitamix with kale, blueberries and oranges, designed to boost the immune system and help with cold symptoms.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 orange peeled
• 1 handful kale
• 1 handful spinach
• 1 carrot
• 1 apple cut in half, core and seeds removed
• 3 cups of blueberries
• 1 small raw red beet peeled
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup ice

Instructions

• Place ingredients in Vitamix, and hit the smoothie button, or mix until all the ingredients are pulverized into a smoothie. Add more water if necessary.

The post Cold Fighting Smoothie for Sick Kids appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This is a recipe I posted back in 2013. I’m bringing Joe’s Special back because it’s simple, paleo, keto friendly and a dish you may have never heard of.  We love Joe’s Special for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

What is Joe’s Special?

It’s a medley of ground beef, spinach and eggs, made famous in San Francisco at New Joe’s, an Italian restaurant in 20’s, and was later placed on the menu at a place called Original Joe’s. Eventually, it landed on many menus in California and even ventured out of state. Isn’t it interesting how recipes develop and migrate, and this was all before the internet?

I first learned about this heavy protein, paleo, keto friendly breakfast, brunch or dinner when I lived in Southern California. Lots of restaurants served it and everyone quite familiar with it, except me.

I decided to bring you this recipe when gigantic bag of spinach was placed on my doorstep.   I remembered Joe’s special, which, while many recipes use frozen spinach, I think is much better with fresh.

After I made a few green spinach and kale smoothies, and my Joe’s special in my cast iron pan, I still had this huge bag of spinach, and I didn’t want it going to waste.

I’ve never had to think about freezing spinach or kale because we eat it up fast enough, but was to go on and discover something amazing.

How to Freeze Spinach and Kale

You would think that I know just about everything concerning spinach, but I needed google (don’t I always) to help me discover that spinach can be frozen, but there is a specific way to do it, with varying opinions.

Some insist that spinach must be blanched and shocked before freezing, while others take the green super food directly to the freezer. I chose the latter, and was shocked at the results. I’m not sure what I expected, but this is what my spinach looked like when I took it out of the freezer. It looked exactly the same as the day I put it in, only it was frozen. By the way, you can also freeze kale the exact same way. Another great culinary discovery!

How to Freeze Spinach and Kale

1. If you are getting it fresh from the dirt, triple wash it.  Spin it dry with a salad spinner longer than you think you should. It has to be dry.
2. Leave it out on towels for a few hours to really ensure it is dry.
3. Wrap it in up gently in gallon size freezer bags. Don’t be concerned with quantities for future use. The spinach didn’t freeze into one cube and I was able to take only the amount out of the bag I wanted to for my recipe.

This is not spinach for spinach salad, but it most certainly can be sauteed, made into a smoothie, spinach manicotti or your favorite spinach recipe.  The kale is especially good put into soups.

Joe’s special, a long time classic of ground beef, spinach and eggs, is something I’m making a little more frequently, now that I have all that spinach.

So tell me, have you ever had Joe’s Special and do you freeze your greens?

More Ground Beef Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Crack Slaw

Cuban Picadillo

Italian Ground Beef & Peas

Beef and Bacon Taco Meat

Ground Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers

No Beans Chili 

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Joe's Special and How to Freeze Spinach

Joe's special, a medley of ground beef, spinach and eggs, first made famous in San Francisco

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• few sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
• 1 bunch fresh spinach can use frozen, but must thaw and drain first
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Saute onion until softened. Add in garlic and cook for one minute.
• Add in ground beef and stir fry with onion and garlic until cooked through.
• Add in salt, pepper, chili flakes and herbs.
• Add in big handfuls of spinach. If frozen using my method, just add in frozen at this point. Spinach will soften right way.
• Add in 4 beaten eggs.
• Continue to cook until eggs are done.
• Season again with salt and pepper.
• Top with parmesan cheese.

Freeze Spinach

• Wash, dry thoroughly. This is important. Once dry, place in plastic bags, freeze.

The post Joe’s Special and How to Freeze Spinach and Kale appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The basic soup is sausage, potatoes and kale in a creamy chicken broth. In true Tuscan fashion, it often has canellini beans (white beans).

How to Make Zuppa Toscana Low Carb

I simply replaced the potatoes with turnips and by the time they cook in the creamy broth, you actually think you are eating potatoes. I am not opposed to adding some white beans to this soup or pureeing beans to thicken instead of cream, but that would increase the carbs. I love the purple tops. Buy medium sized turnips, peel and do a large dice.

I’ve used turnips in soups and stews many times. This veal stew and this beef stew. 

This is a soup you can make your own, adding in a can of tomatoes, interchanging the greens, and even replacing bacon with crispy pancetta. You get the idea!

How Turnips Replace Potatoes

Honestly, the turnips mellow and you think you are eating potatoes. If you do not overcook them. They have a wonderful texture.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like the bacon in the soup, but I made the bacon very crispy first and it held up greatly and added flavor.

While this is a simple soup, it’s still a balancing act. You must make sure the potatoes and or turnips and the kale are not overcooked, and make sure the bacon and sausage are well-cooked.

Thickening Zuppa Toscana

Here you have many options. You can use heavy cream like I did. I only used about 1/2 cup but I’ve seen recipes use 2 full cups. That’s too much for me, but you can feel free.

You can puree some cauliflower or white beans to serve as the thickener to avoid cream altogether.

I’m fussy when it comes to the Italian sausage and like to buy the Whole Foods house-made. I used the mild, but next time I would use the hot Italian sausage as the heat balances well with the cream.

What are the best greens for Zuppa Toscana?

Kale is my go to green for soups. It has more body, holds up better than spinach. I prefer the lacinato as opposed to the curly kale, but be sure to first remove those thick ribs in the middle. Kale is pretty fibrous, but will still break down and can become mushy if cooked for hours. I would only add it in in the last twenty minutes so it holds some body.

Did you know you can freeze kale so it’s always ready to throw into soup? Read about that here. 

What broth makes the best soup?

I used two quarts of organic chicken stock from Costco. My other favorite brand is Whole Foods Organic Chicken broth. Homemade chicken stock is always a good choice.

What kind of grated cheese is best for soup?

Parmesan is always a good choice, but we prefer Pecorino Romano. Parmesan comes from cow’s milk; Pecorino comes from sheep’s milk. It is tangier and salty and pairs well with turnips and kale. Whatever you do, grate it fresh, and please don’t buy the green can. I cannot guarantee good taste using that.

More Soups from Spinach Tiger

Italian Sausage Soup

Tomato Bisque Soup

Quick and Easy Minestroni 

Tuscan Ribollita 

Low Carb Italian Wedding Soup

Beef and Cabbage Soup

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Keto Zuppa Toscana

Classic Sausage and Kale Soup made Keto Friendly with Turnips

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword keto brownies, zuppa toscana

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 medium onion small dice
• 3 cloves garlic peeled
• 2 pounds Italian Sausage spicy
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 3 purple top turnips (or potatoes) peeled, large dice
• 1 bunch lacinato kale ribs removed, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup pecorino romano grated
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Slice bacon crosswise into small lardons (1/2 inch). Fry until crispy. Drain bacon. Set aside
• In separate pot that you will be making soup in, add olive oil.
• Add in chopped onions: sauté for two minutes stirring so onions don't brown, just soften.
• Add garlic. Saute, until almost golden, about one minute.
• If sausage is in links, remove and crumble into hot pan. Cook, stirring with wooden spoon until sausage is cooked through.
• Add broth to sausage. Add bacon back in.
• Add red pepper flakes.
• Add turnips and cook for about 30 minutes until turnips feel soft.
• In meantime, remove ribs from kale and chop. Add to soup for about twenty minutes. You don't want the kale to get mushy. It should still hold some body.
• Add in heavy cream, season with salt and pepper.
• Serve with Pecorino Romano.

Notes

You can use potatoes instead of turnips if you are not concerned with carbs. 

You can add in a cup of white beans, rinsed to add more heft. 

You can substitute heavy cream with pureed beans for a dairy free version.

You can substitute spinach or another green for kale. In that case, I would add baby spinach as you are serving it. 

Lacinato Kale is also known as Tuscan Kale. It's has long leaves with thick ribs. You can also use curly kale. 

The post Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe (Keto) appeared first on Spinach Tiger.