This tasty, versatile recipe can be made your way! It can be made either vegan/vegetarian or with meat, Low FODMAP (see my notes below), and you can change up the vegetables to include your favorite superfoods, or whatever is left in your fridge. This is a great recipe to make your own and please the entire family.
If these ingredients aren’t your Superfoods, add them in! Some great additions to this soup include tomatoes, zucchini, peas, potatoes, asparagus, cabbage, leeks, spinach, or chard. Change up the beans to include your favorite superfood bean (like lentils, adzuki beans, or black beans), or add grains (like brown rice, quinoa, or farro)
So let's get out your Superfoods and get creative!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 small onion, chopped*
1 shallot, chopped*
4 cloves garlic, minced*
4 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
½ cup mushrooms
2 teaspoons Bragg 24 herbs and spices sprinkle (or other no salt herb seasoning, to taste)
12 oz hot (or mild) Italian sausage, casing removed (chicken or vegan/vegetarian)
1 14 oz can chickpeas* (or cooked from dried equivalent)
2 quarts broth** (chicken or vegetable)
2 Not-Chick'n™ Bouillon Cubes (or other vegan bouillon, to taste)
1 bay leaf
½ bunch kale, chopped
Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, shallot, and garlic. Cook for several minutes until the onions are translucent.
Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, and seasoning, and cook for 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook sausages in a skillet over medium heat, crumbling as it cooks. Once the sausage is fully cooked, discard any excess liquid and set aside.
Add cooked sausage, chickpeas, broth, bouillon, and bay leaf to the large pot. Increase heat to high.Once the liquid is about to boil, turn down the heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked to your desired consistency, about half an hour. Taste and adjust flavor if needed by adding more seasoning or bouillon.
Remove the bay leaf and add kale just before serving.
Recipe Notes
*Low FODMAP option: substitute onions, shallots, and garlic for green onions OR cut garlic, shallots, and onions into large chunks, cook in oil, and then remove the plant material before the liquid is added. The FODMAPS are soluble in water, but not in oil. So you can get the flavor of the garlic and onions without the FODMAPS. Foddy Foods makes truly FODMAP-free garlic and shallot oils that are also a great option to get the flavor without risking your gut health. Many beans also contain FODMAPS. Refer to your Viome food list for the best substitute for chickpeas. Almost all beans work well in this recipe.
**Zero waste kitchen hack: It’s easy to make your own broth at home from leftover food scraps. Save leftover vegetable scraps like carrot peels, celery tops, potato peels, onion ends, herb stems, kale ribs, mushroom stems, beet greens, and meat bones. Collect them in the freezer until you have about a stock pot’s worth. Cut up some fresh onions and garlic (or any other vegetables you might like) for a full-bodied flavor. Place vegetables in a large stock pot with some oil and allow the vegetables to sweat before adding in the meat bones (if applicable) and then plenty of water to cover. Add your preferred seasonings. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for at least 2 hours. The longer the better. A slow cooker or instant pot also works well.
