Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup

Servings - 6 Servings size - approx. 1 1/2 cups or 1/6th of recipe Points plus per servings - 6 points+
Calories - 241, Total Fat - 5g, Carb., - 31g, Protein - 19g Fiber - 8g *** This may be different b/c I added extra beans and tomatoes??
• 12 oz. turkey smoked sausage ( such as Hillshire Farms brand), sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 large celery stalks, diced
• 1/2 medium bunch kale, stems removed, and leaves chopped ( about 4 cups) (I used spinach b/c I needed to use it)
• 3 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans ( 15.5 oz each) of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I used 3 cans)
• One (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes, with Italian seasonings (I used 2 cans)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine ( or water)
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• salt and pepper, to taste*
• juice of half a lemon
1. In a slow cooker, combine all of the ingredients. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, until the vegetables are tender. ( If you choose to cook on stove top, saute the carrots, onion, garlic, celery and cauliflower ( if using) in a little cooking spray in dutch oven or large stock pot for about 5 min. Add the basil and cook for another minute or so. Then add the rest of the ingredients, bring to boil, and allow to simmer, slightly covered, until vegetables are tender...about an hour or so)
2. Squeeze juice from half a lemon into soup and stir. enjoy!

*this recipe does not require much salt, if any...the sausage, the beans and the canned tomatoes add quite a bit of salt to the recipe on their own. I would advise you to taste before you salt.

I sprinkled with Parmesan cheese before I served...

YUM