Brrrrrrr.....SOUP'S ON!

There seems to be a winter chill in most places today, and that makes the perfect excuse to pull out your pots and pan and make a BIG batch of soup!
Soup is filling, good for you and very, very figure friendly! It should definitely be on your "go to" list when it comes to nutrition and losing weight in the New Year! Low cal, lowfat, and  seriously a great way to satisfy your hunger anytime of the day (and one of our favorites to keep our hunger at bay before dinner) Not to mention you can get a ton of vegetables in one serving! And did we mention, when you make soup, you can freeze it in individual servings to pop into your microwave anytime? YEP, it's a great way to feed your hunger and lose weight! Try one of our favorites, full of good for you greens, fiber rich beans, and lowfat turkey sausage. YUMMMMY~FoodieGIRL

AND don't let the long ingredient list make you cringe, this soup is as easy as throwing everything into a pot, so what are you waiting for??
KALE, WHITE BEAN and TURKEY SAUSAGE SOUP

Ingredients:
1 pound Italian turkey sausage (casing removed) (for a quick version, you can buy turkey sausage crumbles already cooked)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
2 carrots (chopped)
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15 ounce can white beans
1 bunch kale (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 parmigiano reggiano rind (optional) (you can always sprinkle some parmesan on for taste and garnish at the end too)
* chicken stock
1 handful parsley (chopped, optional)
* parmigiano reggiano (grated, optional)

Directions:
1. Brown the sausage in a large pan and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in the same pan.
3. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the sausage, celery, carrots, tomatoes, white beans, kale, oregano, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, parmigiano reggiano rind.
6. Add enough chicken stock to cover.
7. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes.
8. Remove the bay leaf and parmigiano reggiano rind.
9. Serve garnished with chopped parsley and grated parmigiano reggiano