5/4/10 - Creamy Tomato Veggie soup with Spicy Chicken Sausage

This weekend was almost a diet-buster! Between the burgers, ribs, homemade french fries (!!!) and fresh falafel, grabbing some of the (delicious) spinach salad with some grilled chicken was just not an option. So I tried to obey the good old rule of moderation. In theory, this rule works....in practice, well.....it doesn't count if no one sees it, right? So even though my friends were eating plates full of ribs, I stayed focused and enjoyed more than one taste of all my favorites.  But now its back to the work week and even though we didn't get to the grocery store doesn't mean I have an excuse to order takeout!

This soup is made with some vegetables that were still hanging around in the fridge and few pantry staples that I try to keep stocked....just in case! I took the cue for this soup from a childhood favorite, pasta fagioli - while my mother always made this more as a pasta dish my grandmother's was definitely a soup. I love soups so it was easy for me to twist that recipe into this creation. This dish is easily made vegetarian by increasing the beans and taking out the chicken sausage.



Creamy Tomato Veggie Soup
2 hot Italian chicken sausages  - diced (or taken out of casing)
2 carrots - diced
2 celery stalks - diced
1/2 vidalia onion - diced
3 cloves of garlic
1 can canellini beans - rinsed and drained 
10 mushrooms- sliced
1 zucchini - diced in quarters
1 box organic creamy tomato soup (Trader Joe's)
1 can low sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 tbsp olive oil 
salt & pepper
fresh herbs (parsley, chives)
freshly grated cheese

1) In a large pot, heat oil - once hot brown chicken sausage
2) Add carrots, celery, onions and garlic - stir to distribute and allow to soften
3) Add tomato soup, broth, beans, zucchini and mushrooms
4) Bring to a simmer and season to taste