White Bean, Sausage and Greens Soup – Tuesday’s Table

This is a recipe that came to be based on items I had in our fridge and pantry two years ago. Since then as soon as fall weather is upon us it is the first thing that Grant requests for dinner. It is just about as easy as they come and is hearty enough that it is a full meal… but Grant usually makes his mom’s cornbread recipe to accompany the soup – lucky me (unlucky waistline). This meal is easy to throw together, inexpensive and gluten free as long as you pay attention to the sausage and turnip greens.

Sub in black eyed peas and we call this our “New Year’s Soup.” It covers all of the bases for luck, health and prosperity… in one easy pot. Check!

  

White Bean, Sausage and Greens Soup

Ingredients:  

1 pk Andouille/cajun sausage, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves/teaspoons garlic, minced
2 cans white beans (any type, I prefer Navy Beans because of their small size)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can turnip greens
1 bunch kale in inch pieces
6 cups chicken broth (I used 4 stock, 2 water)
Several dashes of Hot Pepper Vinegar and freshly ground black pepper to season

Directions:

Brown chopped sausage (try to drain most of the grease), add onions and garlic  to sausage to soften for 5-7 min
Add chicken broth, beans (rinsed), tomatoes with juice
Add turnip greens (mostly drained)
Add kale, black pepper, pepper vinegar.
Stir, cover, simmer

Simmer for at least 30-45 minutes, but will taste even better the next day.

Serve with hot pepper vinegar. Cornbread would be a treat too.

** You can make many variations to this recipe based on your preferences and things that you have at home. Use only kale (add some salt to recipe); use only turnip greens, add some shredded chicken, etc. I have done all of these things and it turns out well every single time**

   

    
   

Enjoy!!

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Watermelon, Cucumber, Spinach Blend for Breakfast

I usually stick to my normal juice and smoothie blends in the morning, but I found myself with an abundance of watermelon (a fantastic problem to have!) and wanted to add it to anything and everything I could.

I noticed that a fellow Nashville blogger mentioned on Instagram that she had been adding watermelon to her morning juice blends, and I was immediately inspired. First I tried the watermelon in my regular green blend: subbing out strawberries for melon, but with the banana and coconut/almond milk it was a little too sweet for me (but delicious! Maybe best for a midday sweet treat). Then I realized how much I would like the watermelon, cucumber combination — so much more than I liked the popular Bath and Body Works scent from middle school. If you love summertime watermelon definitely give it a shot to star in your morning blend.

Watermelon, Cucumber, Spinach Blend

1 1/2 cups of watermelon

2-3, 1-inch pieces of a cucumber

2 cups of spinach (two large handfuls)

1 tsp. chia seeds

1/2 tsp. matcha

1 c. coconut water

Refreshing Green Smoothie

While in Jamaica I had the best green smoothie. It was called an Island Blast Smoothie and contained cucumber, parsley, ginger, celery, banana and coconut water.

I decided to give my normal smoothie a reboot and make my spin on Round Hill’s Island Blast Smoothie. If only my “smoothie bar” resembled Round Hill’s.

Ingredients:

1/2 banana, frozen

1/2 cucumber, partially peeled (peeling cuke is probably not necessary)

1 c. spinach (one handful)

1/2 inch piece of raw ginger, peeled

Parsley

1 celery stalk (not necessary)

Juice of 1/4 lemon

1 c. coconut water

Next time I will probably add chia seeds for a bit of protein. But this smoothie makes a delicious and healthy breakfast or snack!

Enjoy!!