Netflix | The Artful Gourmet :: Food Stylist | Photographer | Blogger

Whenever it’s cold outside, I crave a big pot of #soup or stew to warm my bones and forget that its Winter outside…I’m used to the NY Winters I grew up with, but down here in Florida it’s a little crazy for it to be so chilly right now!

So I made a big pot of this #delicious Sausage, Kale and Veggie Soup, which seemed perfect for a major binge-watching session of Bridgerton on Netflix. (Have you seen it yet!? #OMG I am in #love with that show! No time for a full review here but I’ll talk more about that later in my Winter #2021 Things I Love post coming up next week..A must see if you like historical dramas!)

Not only is this soup super comforting, but it’s #healthy, #lowcarb and #keto-friendly and quite filling too! I made it with some spicy ground Italian sausage (you can also use sweet sausage instead if you like less heat), a few big handfuls of fresh baby kale, and sautéed lots of fresh veggies too – carrots, celery, garlic, onions, parsley and zucchini. Then I simmered it all together with some beef broth, Everglades seasoning, Italian seasoning, olive oil + red pepper flakes into a big pot of goodness.

I topped it off with more fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese and went. to. TOWN. And of course served it with a glass of crisp white wine to go with.

Feel free to substitute #vegan sausage, white cannellini beans, sliced baby Bella mushrooms, a few halved baby potatoes or cauliflower florets / cauliflower rice instead of the Italian sausage if you want to make the soup #vegan or #vegetarian…but you might want to add more seasonings and a little more olive oil if not using sausage to amp up the flavors. You can also use ground turkey or chicken instead of sausage if you prefer… (not vegetarian but a little healthier and less fat). And it’s just as delicious with chicken broth or veggie broth too.

Anyway you make it, I hope you enjoy and stay warm! What better way to spend a weekend afternoon than a good show and some comfy soup? 🙂

Sausage + Kale Veggie Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 8

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

This is a super delicious and comforting soup for the Winter made with Italian Sausage, Baby Kale, and lots of veggies like carrots, celery, garlic, onions, and zucchini all simmered together into a big pot of goodness. Topped with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese - all you need is some crusty Italian bread and a glass of crisp white wine to make it a healthy meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound ground Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
2 carrots, chopped or sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
5 cups beef broth (or chicken or vegetable)
1 zucchini, halved and sliced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Everglades seasoning (or seasoned salt)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2-3 cups fresh baby kale, shredded
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

Instructions

Sauté 1 pound ground Italian sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven for about 5 minutes until sausage was no longer pink; remove from pot with a slotted spoon into a mixing bowl.
Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic into the same pot with additional tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste), and cook for another 5 minutes until veggies are soft.
Add the cooked sausage back in to the pot and add the broth, sliced zucchini, Everglades seasoning (or seasoned salt), garlic powder, red pepper flakes (if using), tomato paste, Italian seasoning; bring soup to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer the soup over medium-low heat for 10-15 mins. Add two large handfuls of fresh baby kale (about 2-3 large cups), and chopped fresh parsley; simmer another 5-10 mins until the kale is wilted.
Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese at the end and serve hot with a little more cheese on top. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and serve with a glass of wine and crusty Italian bread, if desired.

Notes

You can sub vegan sausage, white cannellini beans, sliced baby Bella mushrooms, a few halved baby potatoes or cauliflower florets/rice instead of sausage to make it vegetarian...you might want to add more seasonings to taste, and add a little more olive oil if not using sausage for amped up flavors.

You can also use ground turkey or chicken instead of sausage if you prefer. (not vegetarian but a little healthier and less fat).

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2021/01/sausage-kale-and-veggie-soup-low-carb-keto/

More soup recipes you may enjoy:

Classic Minestrone Soup

French Lentil Vegetable Soup

Veggie and Bean Soup

On gray rainy days in New York (esp. at the beginning of so-called “Spring”), there’s nothing better than staying home and cooking up a big pot of comfort food. It seems to make the rain almost pleasant to listen to and watch, knowing that you’re tucked up indoors away from the rest of the world, cooking something cozy and #delicious.

One of my favorite things to make is spicy #Cajun and #Creole food (New Orleans is one of my fav cities ever..the best food and cocktails on the planet!) and I had grand visions of creating a kickass recipe this week for my blog. And considering it’s going to be a rainy week and we’re all stuck indoors from this #quarantine, why not make a big pot of something wonderful to savor while I’m at it?

I had some Aidell’s Andouille Sausage on hand and tons of bell peppers, garlic, onions and tomatoes in the pantry so I decided to make a big pot of Jambalaya for my afternoon project. I also had some Flour City Pasta ‘Bon Vivant Orzo’ I’ve been dying to try, so I decided to whip up a twist on ordinary Jambalaya using that instead of rice. The orzo is multi-colored small pasta that looks like rice, with wild mushroom, saffron, spinach and cayenne – and I thought it would add some more layers of flavor to the dish.

First I cooked the sausage until lightly browned in a big Dutch oven with a little olive oil. Then I added the vegetables and sautéed everything together with some spicy Creole seasoning (Tony Chacere’s is the bomb!). I also threw in some Kroger brand Zesty Seasoning Blend which is a savory blend of herbs and spices like onion, black pepper, chili pepper, parsley, oregano, basil, savory, marjoram, bay, thyme, rosemary, garlic and cumin and added a dash of hot paprika for an extra kick of spiciness and flavor. You can also substitute some dried thyme and oregano or whatever dried herbs you like instead if you can’t find something similar.

Then I added the broth and tomatoes and orzo and brought everything to a boil, and let it all simmer for about 10 minutes or so until the orzo was cooked through. The pasta will soak up the liquids and get thicker the longer it sits, so be careful not to overcook it or it will get mushy. If you’re using rice instead, let the ingredients simmer for longer, about 20 minutes.

Once it all comes together with a consistency you like, serve it with some chopped green onions and fresh parsley with a dash of hot sauce (traditional Frank’s RedHot or Crystal are my favs) and freshly ground black pepper for an extra kick.

All I know is I have a long holiday weekend to savor my delicious #Jambalaya, along with lots of naps and #Netflix.

Let it rain. J

Sausage & Orzo Jambalaya

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6-8

Serving Size: 1 cup

This Sausage Orzo Jambalaya is a twist on traditional Creole Jambalaya using multi-colored orzo instead of rice, with the addition of some corn. It has a medium-spice heat to it with lots of veggies including red, yellow, orange and green peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes - a savory, heartwarming dish for any occasion.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds Andouille sausage cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ cups onion, chopped
1 ½ cups bell peppers, chopped (red, yellow, orange, green)
1 cup yellow corn kernels
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (Tony Chacere’s)
2 teaspoons Zesty Seasoning Blend (Kroger)- optional
1 teaspoon hot paprika
2 cups chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups orzo
Sliced scallions, for garnish
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Hot sauce, for garnish (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat oil over medium-high in a large Dutch oven or pot. Add the sausage and cook for about 8 minutes until browned on all sides about 8 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
Add the onions, peppers, corn, garlic and bay leaves along with the herbs and spices and saute over medium-high for a few minutes. Add the broth and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Stir in the orzo and reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for about 10 minutes until the orzo is cooked through and soft.
Garnish with sliced scallions and chopped fresh parsley and a dash of hot sauce and freshly ground black pepper, to taste for an extra kick.

Notes

Note: you can also substitute traditional white rice for the orzo, just cook it in the pot longer, about 20 minutes instead of 10 minutes.

You can also add chicken or shrimp to the recipe, swapping out 1 pound for the andouille sausage.

Recipe adapted from Southern Living Magazine.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2017/05/sausage-orzo-jambalaya/