During the winter months, there’s nothing I crave more than a good bowl of satisfying soup. It’s a great one pot recipe with minimal mess, and I normally end up throwing in whatever I have hanging out in my frig. But this recipe is my all time favorite! It is paleo friendly and won’t leave you heavy like most bean based soups will. It’s truly satisfying and the coconut milk the best kept secret to an amazingly creamy, rich soup without the dairy.

Sausage & Kale with Coconut Milk

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp fine sea salt
3/4 tsp whole fennel seeds
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 crushed red pepper flakes *add more or less depending on your heat tolernace
1 pound medium italian pork or chicken sausage, casing removed
* I use the mild italian pork sausage from Whole Foods because it is literally the best sausage ever.
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
3 medium celery stalks, cut into 1/4″ pieces
6 cups of chicken broth
1 dried bay leaf
1 head lacinato kale, stems removed, cleaned and cut into bite sized pieces
1 13.5 oz can of full fat coconut milk
* If you want more meat, I sometimes add two chicken breasts diced and cooked along with the sausage.

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped garlic, onion and spices. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are clear.
2. Add sausage, using a wooden spoon to break up into bite sized pieces. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the pink is gone.
3. Add carrots and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add broth and bay leaf. Raise heat to high and bring to boil.
5. Once boiling, add kale, cover and reduce to simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the kale is softened.
6. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Slowly stir in coconut milk until fully dissolved.
7. Serve warm.