by Robin Welch Orvis, Executive Producer
A yummy, hearty, comforting soup good any time of the year. It’s a dinner staple in our house during the fall and winter. And, like most soups, it’s even better the next day. The broth is so rich and delicious, you’ll slurp the last bits out of the bowl.
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
12 oz. Beef Kielbasa
1-1/2 Cups Carrots, chopped
1-1/2 Cups Yellow Onion, chopped
2 Large Celery Stalks, chopped
5 Cloves Garlic, minced
48 oz. Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Dried Parsley
1 tsp Dried Ground Rosemary
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
8 oz. Kale, ribs removed and chopped into 2-inch pieces
1 15.5 oz. Can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
Salt & Pepper to taste
Split Kielbasa in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise again. Cut those 4 long pieces into 1/2–inch pieces. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large, heavy stock pot over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa chunks and brown, stirring occasionally, about 7-8 minutes. Turn off heat. Remove kielbasa with a slotted spoon or spider, leaving as much oil in the pot as possible. Drain kielbasa on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
Turn heat to medium-high. Add the carrots, onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly as you don’t want it to burn. Add broth.
Ground the dried herbs with a mortar and pestle until it is a fine powder. Add to the pot and cover. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Let it simmer about 20 minutes. Add the kale, cover, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the beans, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. When veggies and kale are tender, add kielbasa just to reheat.
Serves 8 – approximately 16g net carbs per serving
Note: A Life Well Eaten follows diabetic educator guidelines for determining net carbs.
Suggested formula is total carbs minus half the fiber, i.e. 16g carbs and 4g fiber would be 14g net carbs. The food industry determines net carbs as total carbs minus fiber which would come in at 12g net carbs.