Olive Garden Healthy Copycat of Zuppa Toscana

Once upon a time I worked at Olive Garden and unsurprisingly their Zuppa Toscana is a pretty popular item. There is just something about a creamy bowl of steaming potato, kale and sausage that invites people to sit down and enjoy. I wanted that taste, that feeling, but without all the heaviness, which is how this recipe was born. Made in the crockpot so you can throw it together before work and enjoy at dinner time, here is my take on a healthier (and dairy free) Zuppa Toscana.

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb Turkey Italian sausage (mild or hot, it's up to you)
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 medium russet potatoes, skin on and cut into rounds then like a pie so you end up with triangles
• 3 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 carrots, diced (optional - carrots are not in the original soup, but I like the color so I add them)
• 3 cups fresh kale, veins removed and cut into ribbons
• 32 oz organic chicken broth
• 2c water
• 1 can Coconut milk 

Directions:

1. Heat a pan with the olive oil on the stove top. Remove casings from sausage and brown.
2. To your crockpot add browned sausage, onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, chicken broth and water.
3. Turn crock pot to low and allow to cook for 6-8 hours.
4. 20 minutes before serving stir in coconut milk and kale.