Spring Cleaning Soup

Our Go Figure chef, David, was looking for a quick dinner, so he started pulling things out of the freezer and fridge that needed to be used up and came up with this yummy soup. This is a great meal to have when you feel you need some starchier carbs or something more substantial.

5 Sabatino’s chicken mozzarella sausages, cut in approx. ¼ inch slices (ask Costco butcher for location; unless you have a dairy sensitivity, the little bit of cheese that’s in here will not interfere with weight loss.)

1 small can tomato paste                            1 Tbsp. agave 

½ chopped onion                              1 tsp. each salt, garlic salt, and pepper

3 stalks celery, chopped                    2 quarts water

4 cloves garlic, sliced                        ¼ cup tamari (soy sauce without sugar)

2 Tbsp. olive oil                                Leafy greens: spinach, kale, or chard

1 tsp. each: dried oregano, basil and thyme

½ cup cooking sherry or red wine (alcohol is cooked off)

2 cups frozen veggies (whatever’s in your freezer, or green beans)

½ cup canned black beans (rinse thoroughly and drain)

½ cup quinoa-corn pasta

Bring water to a boil, add pasta, and cook according to pkg. directions, about 7 minutes or until soft. While pasta is cooking, pre-heat soup pot and add olive oil. Sauté onions, celery and then add sausage, garlic and rest of ingredients except water, pasta, and leafy greens

Pour pasta with the water it was cooked in, into the soup mix. Simmer for 15 minutes or as long as you want. Add salt and pepper to taste and any of the leafy greens.

Wait until you have been on the program for at least 6 weeks to include the beans and pasta. The quinoa-corn pasta has no wheat or white flour in it, and can usually be eaten in small quantities without interfering with weight loss. The same with black beans.

Copyright David and Cheryl MacDonald, 2013

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