Always stick with the normal sausage (White Bean, Chard and Chicken Sausage Soup)

Cold weather always calls for soup.  Especially for lunch.  My office is like the frozen tundra even though we actually never have that kind of weather.  I had pinned this recipe for Tuscan White Bean Soup from Cooking Light awhile back.  I decided to make it when we had our cold snap and lo and behold, the three grocery stores I went to did not have escarole so I had to improvise with chard.

I also decided to add some chicken sausage to make it more hearty.  I bought the crunchy-granola Whole Foods chicken sausage and I was not a fan, but the soup was still great.  I wish I would have used the al fresco sun-dried tomato flavor.  This is really yummy, full of veggies and will warm you up and fill your heart and tummy with goodness on a cold day.  Full recipe to follow the montage! Linking up with Meal Plan Monday. Y'all click on over and see all the good stuff!

Doesn't that just look like a great lunch. Even better with some crusty bread!

The cast.  You can tell from the packaging that i did wrong on the sausage!

Chop everything up real nice.

Throw it in some oil to brown and create more flavor.

Red chard is so pretty!  I miss seeing that Go Texan sign all the time.  We need something like that!

Just look at that color!  So full of good for you yumminess!

After awhile, you have soup!

White Bean, Chard and Chicken Sausage Soup (adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
1 chopped stalk of celery
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 package of chicken sausage, cut into rounds
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 (1 1/2-ounce) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
1 bunch chopped chard
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, carrot sausage and celery and sauté for 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add broth and the next 4 ingredients (through cheese rind); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in chard; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Stir in red pepper, salt, black pepper, and vinegar. Remove and discard rind; sprinkle soup with shaved cheese.

Happy Cooking!

Missy