Tuscan White Bean Soup With Sausage And Kale

Five Reasons The Mediterranean Diet Works Well In Winter Too

When you think of The Mediterranean Diet with all its powerful health boosting antioxidants from fresh fruit and vegetables, it’s easy to associate it with summer salads and al fresco feasts under the stars.

However, one of the great joys of The Mediterranean Diet is that it can be followed in any season, and there is no end of warming winter recipes which include the flavours and health benefits it brings.

So, here is a little holiday season gift from us to you: two of our favourite Mediterranean Diet Winter recipes using – of course – the best extra virgin olive oil in the world. Just looking at the pictures of this soup from MediterraneanLiving.com warms us up on a cold day!  A great way to combine some winter vegetables with the flavour of Italian sausage.

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Tuscan White Bean Soup With Sausage And Kale With Olive Oil

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, depending on what you like, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 pound kale, stems removed and chopped
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1-28 ounces can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tsp rosemary, dried
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan

Instructions

  1. In a large Dutch oven or thick bottomed soup pot, cook sausage in ¼ cup Morocco Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil on medium heat until browned on all sides.
  2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Continue to sauté for another 3 minutes.
  3. Add kale. Sauté until kale begins to wilt.
  4. Add chicken broth, beans, rosemary and bay leaf.
  5. Bring to a boil, then bring to a simmer, cover and cook on a low boil (simmer) for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper, to taste.
  6. Top each bowl of hot tuscan white bean soup with parmesan cheese.

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Diet Stew

Diet Stew

Ingredients

  • 2 (14 ounce) cans no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
  • ¾ cup chopped carrot
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed, divided
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped (about 8 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons Morocco Gold extra-virgin olive oil
  • Fresh basil leaves, torn if large
  • 6 lemon wedges (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine tomatoes, broth, onion, carrot, garlic, oregano, salt, crushed red pepper and pepper in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours.
  2. Measure 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons chickpeas; mash with a fork until smooth.
  3. Add the mashed chickpeas, kale, lemon juice and remaining whole chickpeas to the mixture in the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on Low until the kale is tender, about 30 minutes.
  4. Ladle the stew evenly into 6 bowls; drizzle with oil. Garnish with basil. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

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