Fall Harvest Vegetable Soup with Sausage

A hearty, healthy, fresh soup for a cool fall evening.  Such a good feeling eating all these veggies! 

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 leek, rinsed, chopped, and thick green parts discarded
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped carrots
2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
4 cups chopped green cabbage
1 medium zucchini squash, sliced and quartered
1 medium yellow squash, sliced and quartered
5 asparagus stalks, sliced 1/2" thick on an angle
2 cups kale, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
2 cans low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cans low-sodium beef broth
salt
pepper
1 tbsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
5 links turkey sausage (I used Jenni-O spicy italian turkey sausage)
Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Method:

In dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil on medium heat.  Add onions, leeks and garlic.  Add carrots and remaining veggies in above listed order.  Add beans and broth and reduce heat to simmer.  Add seasonings.

In a separate pan, heat 2 more tablespoons olive oil and add sausage links.  Cook on medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes.  Slice sausage into small pieces and add to soup.  Simmer on low until ready to serve.  Top with parmesan.

Shrimp and Sausage Tortellini with Asparagus and Sundried Tomatoes

I created this while looking through my refrigerator and freezer to find random ingredients to throw together.  It turned out delicious!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 frozen, pre-cooked sausage links (I used Casual Gourmet Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Chicken Sausage)
1 Cup thawed frozen shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
2 Tbsp olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 Cup dry white wine
1/2 small yellow onion
2 garlic cloves
1 package cheese tortellini
1/4 Cup sundried tomatoes
2 asparagus stalks, cut into 1" pieces
Dash crushed red pepper
salt
pepper
parmesan cheese (to top it with)

Method:

In one pan, boil water and cook tortellini.  Drain and set aside.

In another pan, sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are tender.  Add asparagus and sundried tomatoes.  Add sausage links and shrimp.  Sautee on medium heat to cook shrimp and fully heat sausage.  Add lemon juice and white wine.  Add salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.  Toss with tortellini and top with parmesan cheese.

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup

Tender all white meat chicken, easy to make, and comforting during flu season or on a cold day!

Serves 6-8 (or freeze leftovers)

Ingredients:

4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium yellow onions
1 cup carrots sliced 1/4" thick
1 cup celery sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 cup fresh parsley
4 cans low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp Better than Bouillon chicken flavoring
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper
1 box favorite small pasta (soup noodles, campanelle, ribbons, etc)

Method:

In a large pot, simmer carrots, celery and onion in olive oil under tender.  Add chicken breasts, soup, and all seasonings.  Add one soup can full of water to dilute a bit.  Simmer on low 2-3 hours until chicken is fully cooked. 

Take out each chicken breast and shred with a fork.  Put chicken back into pot and keep on low until ready to serve.

In a separate pot, boil water for noodles.  Cook pasta, drain, and serve soup over pasta.