This soup!!!

I can devour a pot of this in 24 hours. And you know what? It’s okay because it’s low carb and whole 30 approved! (Thank God). There’s nothing better than a creamy, hearty, warm and satisfying winter meal that is actually healthy. I am legit making this on repeat this winter. I can’t get enough!

So how is this soup creamy, low carb and whole 30 approved? I know. I can barely believe it myself and you’ll doubt me when you taste it. But I promise. It’s awesome AND good for you. 

New to whole 30? Read about it here.

I modified the traditional zuppa toscana recipes by replacing potatoes with turnips. Why? They’re lower in carbs/starch and have more nutritional value. Potatoes are allowed on whole 30, but are starchy and higher in carbs.

What is a turnip you ask? I had been confusing a parsnip and a turnip for years until I actually went to buy a turnip for this recipe! Turnips are a white root vegetable shaped like an onion. They have an almost waxy outside which I peel off and cut into chunks like a potato. Turnips are rich in calcium, potassium and phosphorus. Plus they are high in fiber and low in calories. Honestly, I can’t even tell the difference between a turnip and potato in this soup.

Another modification I made to the recipe (for a whole 30 option) is to use coconut milk in place of cream. Buy the canned kind and use the thick part of it in the soup. Coconut is high in saturated fat but is a plant based fat making it WAY healthier than animal fat (plus multiple other health benefits, besides being non dairy). If you’re not doing whole 30, go ahead and use the cream! A little cream never hurt anyone. Everything in moderation, right?

The last couple things I did to make this soup healthier is use bone broth in place of regular broth. I’ve talked about this before and I do it in all of my soups. To learn more about the benefits of bone broth read this post or this one. The last modification I made is to use turkey sausage in place of regular sausage for a leaner option without sacrificing flavor.

Note: everything in this recipe is whole 30 approved except for the cream. If you’re doing whole 30, that’s the only modification you’ll need to make.

To go along with the soup I made almond flour cheddar biscuits (grain-free and low carb, although not whole 30) and oh. em. gee! They are SO GOOD! I got the recipe here. You’re welcome 🙂

Low Carb / Whole 30 Zuppa Toscana Soup

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: The Nutty Pear

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb sweet or hot italian turkey sausage
• 6 cups chicken bone broth or regular broth – where to get
• 1 large turnip, peeled and diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 bunch tuscan kale, washed and chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream or coconut milk (get the full fat kind) for whole 30 version – where to get
• 2 Tbsp tapioca flour or arrowroot powder/starch (to thicken) – where to get
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast – where to get
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crushed red pepper to taste if you like a little spice

Instructions

1. STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS (about 1 hour)
2. In a large pot brown the turkey sausage in olive oil. Add garlic and onion and cook another 5 minutes.
3. Add broth and diced turnip and simmer covered for about 20 minutes.
4. In a bowl mix cream/coconut milk and starch with a whisk. Stir mixture into soup and add kale. Also add nutritional yeast and seasonings.
5. Cook another 20 minutes on medium/high heat.
6. SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS
7. Add turkey sausage to the bottom of the crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients except for milk, kale and tapioca flour. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
8. In a bowl mix cream/coconut milk and tapioca flour with a whisk. Stir mixture into soup and add kale. Cook another 20 min on high. Enjoy!

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