This is a great fall or winter soup from cooking light and only takes about a 1/2 hour to make. It's very hearty and makes for a light dinner or lunch. I used an organic andouille chicken/turkey sausage because I wanted some spice. So choose a sausage that will provide the extra flavor you are craving. I always like adding more veggies. You can easily double up on the carrots and spinach. You can also add leftover cooked grains and veggies. Serve with a salad to make a complete meal. Yields 5- 1 1/2 cup servings
1 T olive oil
1 cup baby carrots, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
32 ounces organic, fat-free, sodium free chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15.8oz) cans organic great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6 ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves
Heat a large saucepan in olive oil and cook over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic and kielbasa; saute 3 minutes. stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low and cook 5 more minutes. Add the broth, Italian seasoning, pepper, and beans. Bring temp up to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Return to pureed mixture to pan. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add the spinach, stirring until spinach wilts. If you plan to have leftovers, add the spinach when you reheat the soup, not when you make it.
Calories 227; fat 3.9g (sag 1.2g, mono 1.3g, poly 1.2g); protein 18.1g; cholesterol 26mg; calcium 112mg; sodium 750mg; fiber 6.7g; iron 3.5mg; carbohydrate 30.8g