Kale, Sausage & Bean Soup

I have grown to love Kale and what better way to eat it than in a healthier soup version.  I used uncured Hot Italian Style chicken sausage but you can use whatever rings our bell. I was lucky enough to find a pre chopped and cleaned bag of Kale at my local Aldi store. Matter of fact that is where my chicken sausage was purchased too. It has become my favorite grocery store. I also simmered a piece of rind from a Parmesan block. I highly recommend that you not skip this step because it adds a nice flavor to the soup. I save my rinds and place them  into a ziploc baggie and freeze them until I can use them later on. Yum! Also Chicken base is the bomb! It comes in a jar as a paste and you mix it with water. It has a better favor than store bought broth or even bouillon. Once you get hooked on base you will not turn back. You can find it in the soup isle in any well stocked grocery store. I mail order my harder to find flavors like clam and mushroom.

1. 10 cups water *
2.  1/3 cup chicken base *
3.  1 Tbsp Olive oil 
4.  1 tsp granulated garlic powder
5.  1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6.  1/4 tsp sea salt
7.  1 cup diced sweet onion
8.  1 cup diced carrots
9.  1 piece of Parmesan rind
10.  1 can of cannellini beans 15.5 oz , drained and rinsed
11.  10 oz of hot Italian Sausage, cooked and sliced thin
12.  12 oz bag of chopped and washed Kale or the equivalent of freshly bought

* You may substitute 10 cups of chicken broth and omit the water and base.

Toss all of the above ingredients into a large soup pot and bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and lower heat to simmer for 45 minutes. Remove Parmesan rind and throw away, serve immediately.