Potato & Kale Soup with "Sausage"

Happy New Year!

I've been absent for a while (holiday madness, among other lame and not-so-lame excuses), and will try to be better about posting.

While on vacation seventeen months ago (yes, I remember exactly when) our vegetarian friend Karla :) prepared a strata for breakfast and used a product I had never seen before, sausage-style recipe crumbles from Morningstar Farms. Breakfast was delicious, I thought that this imitation sausage tasted very much like the real thing, but I simply could not find the product in any stores. I looked in every grocery store around our area and also when visiting my parents and while on vacation, but nothing. I made it a habit over the past months to look for these, occasionally, while grocery shopping. And a few weeks ago, a Christmas miracle, I glanced in the freezer case in WalMart without much hope and saw, stacked on a shelf, a beautiful halo of gold light shining around a certain green package—the “sausage” crumbles I had been searching for!

A joyful time it was, indeed. In deference to others who may have been searching for the exact same thing, I held back and limited myself to 10 packages.

Textured vegetable protein, having the same taste and texture as crumbled Italian sausage, but with a mere 2.5 grams of total fat and no saturated fat per 2/3 cup serving? How can it be? Magic. There can be no other explanation.

Our favorite way to eat this (so far) is on pizza, but I made a soup today that was incredible—hearty and delicious. Also this is one of the very few soups that my husband deems “excellent”.

Sorry, Jenni, it has kale in it. But you can sub spinach, I’m sure. ;)

Chunks of potato and greens join the “sausage” in a thick broth spiced with ground chipotle. And cheese on top. Perfect for a winter meal. And really, perfect for any time because not only is this soup low in fat, it also contains 6 grams of fiber and 24 grams of protein, plus a nice 24% chunk of your total calcium requirement for a day, 145% of daily vitamin C and 102% of vitamin A.

Oh when will there be a delicious brownie to equal these nutrition readings? Hmmmm?

* Exported from MasterCook *

Potato & Kale Soup with "Sausage"

Recipe By: Vicci

Servings : 6

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 cups finely chopped onion

2 medium garlic clove -- minced

8 cups low-sodium defatted chicken broth

24 ounces white potatoes -- peeled and chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs -- crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper -- (can sub smoked paprika for less spice)

3/4 pound kale -- washed, thick ribs removed, and chopped

1 1/2 cups Morningstar Farms Sausage-Style Recipe Crumbles

2 ounces Parmesan cheese -- grated

Heat oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or onion is tender and golden. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute. Stir in broth, potatoes, salt, and herbs and cook, partially covered, until potato is tender.

Using a potato masher or a large wooden spoon, partially mash the cubed potatoes in broth. Stir in the chipotle pepper then the kale. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer (partially covered) for 8. Add the "sausage" and stir. Cook for an additional 10 minutes on medium-low heat.

Divide soup between soup bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan and, if desired, ground black pepper.

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Per serving: 289 Calories (kcal); 8g Total Fat (2g Saturated Fat); (25% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 7mg Cholesterol; 1574mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates