Sunday Soup #30: Slow Cooker (or Instant Pot) Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup

It occurs to me that the last soup I posted on the blog before this one was a Guest Sunday Soup, made by my friend Lisa, and is titled "Sausage, Potato, and Kale Soup." I have to admit that I was not thinking about that when I chose to make this soup this past Sunday... But, they are two completely distinct recipes, so I hope you'll forgive the consecutive same-ness. If, however, you are completely disturbed and just can't get past it, then you have my permission to skip this soup and wait for next week's post. ;-)

Still with me? Okay... Here goes...

This recipe came from: http://www.wholesomelicious.com/slow-cooker-instant-pot-sausage-kale-sweet-potato-soup/

*Pic 1 - Picture from http://www.wholesomelicious.com/slow-cooker-instant-pot-sausage-kale-sweet-potato-soup/

My Variations from Recipe as Written: I chose to make the Instant Pot version of this soup (although that isn't really a "change," since the recipe encourages it). And, I used pork sausage (hot Italian), and a cabernet sauvignon for the white wine (if that makes a difference to you). Finally, I seeded and chopped two jalapeño peppers to add to my recipe because I am a chile-head.

General Thoughts: True to its word, this recipe was quite easy to make, and it cooked quickly. There wasn't much to it other than sautéing the sausage and chopping the veggies, all of which went fairly quickly.  And, I spent more time waiting for the Instant Pot to reach pressure than I did actually cooking the soup (only 8 minutes!).

Right from the start, even before it started cooking, everything smelled really good together... Aromatic basil, together with the hot sausage, apple cider vinegar, and the onion/garlic mixture smelled heavenly, and I hoped it would taste as good as it smelled when it was finished.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

I was surprised that the kale fit so well in this one (I chopped up the bagged baby kale you can get from your supermarket's produce aisle).  With kale, I always worry that it is going to feel (and taste) like I went into the backyard and grabbed a giant handful out of the first pile of old leaves I could find.  But, it was actually a terrific compliment in this soup and gave it an earthy taste that offset the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.

An added bonus with this one is that it is relatively healthy.  If you are eating paleo or Whole30 (with a small alteration), this soup is right up your alley and provided a surprising flavor punch for a healthy choice.

The soup was hearty and filling and did a good job of looking "full," despite its broth-y nature. But, what most surprised me about it was the variety of textures in the finished soup.  The sweet potatoes wound up being very soft (as sweet potatoes are want to do), followed closely by the kale.  But then the sausage was a bit spongy (again, not usual for sausage), and the mushrooms were a little rubbery, even though well cooked.  The result was a slightly odd cacophony of textures on the tongue. I personally didn't mind it, but it was the death nell for my wife having anything further to do with this soup after only a couple of bites.

Polling the Fam: I liked the soup overall and enjoyed that it was both tasty and healthy.  However, I do have to say that I could get sick of this soup fairly quickly if I had a ton of leftovers, so I am glad I did not double this recipe.  Becky gave it the old college try (since she does not like mushrooms and is just "meh" about kale), but she was immediately weirded out by the texture.  She said it skeeved her out, and she didn't think she could eat it again... but she did admit that it actually tasted good.  Hunter liked the soup as well and was pleased that he'd finally found something in which he actually like sweet potato (i.e., he is normally not a fan).  He added that if the mushrooms were not in the recipe, he would not have liked it nearly as much.

Verdict: It was okay. (3 stars)

Guest Sunday Soup: Sausage, Potato, and Kale Soup

Hi there, Souper Troopers...! Another great guest soup this week, this time by one of my best friends, Lisa... We go to the same gym, and we both got involved in an 8-week fat-loss challenge, so we are eating a little healthier right now. Specifically, we tend to eat "paleo" (a style of eating associated with clean foods and low-carb intake, recognized as an effective way to reduce overall body fat) when we are on challenge, which led Lisa to WHOLE30 (with some help from her nutrition guru, Kim). This soup is featured in the WHOLE30 Cookbook (by Melissa Hartwig), but also happens to be found online. Thanks to Lisa for making a soup and sharing her impressions and advice with us on this recipe!

Name: Sausage, Potato, and Kale Soup

Original Recipe From: https://whole30.com/2016/12/whole30-cookbook-1/ (WHOLE30 Cookbook by Melissa Hartwig)

*Pic 1 - Picture from https://whole30.com/2016/12/whole30-cookbook-1/

Any Changes?: Lisa made this recipe as-is, but for two small alterations... First, she doubled it. Like me, Lisa has a family that likes to eat, and we never mind leftovers, so making double is always an option! She was also out of fresh thyme, so she used freeze-dried instead (not usually a big deal; freeze-dried is normally better than the regular dry spice).

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when Lisa made it

So, Was It Any Good?:

Best to let Lisa tell you about the soup in her own words: "I feel like the flavor is a little boring - like it's missing something (salt maybe... but I didn't want to get heavy handed). It tastes good, but I think it needed a different meat; I used plain ground pork (per the recipe), but I think a sweet Italian sausage would be better... I wasn't put off by all the Kale (eye roll ... boys!).  I used grated Parmesan to garnish, but I think a shaved parm would have been better.  I also missed bread. :(  It was super easy to make, and I would make this again no problem."

How did the rest of her family like it? "Jayson said there was too much kale (he suggested I use only 1/4 the kale called for by the recipe). He said the flavor was good, but it needs more cheese (on top). Not a favorite, but he would eat it again. Andrew also said too much kale, good flavor, not a favorite, but he would eat it again."

Verdict: So, it sounds like, if you are of a mind to eat healthy and don't have a kale allergy, this soup is a keeper. But, if you are "a boy," and the thought of kale conjures images of a malnourished rabbit, then definitely consider Lisa's suggestions to make this one a winner!

Thanks, Lisa, for sharing a great recipe!

Sunday Soup #29: Bayou Crab Chowder

Happy April! I made this soup as a special treat for my friend and workout buddy Jayson, who loves seafood, before we started a fat-loss challenge at our gym last week. Enjoy!

This recipe came from: http://www.akitchenhoorsadventures.com/bayou-crab-chowder/

*Pic 1 - Picture from http://www.akitchenhoorsadventures.com/bayou-crab-chowder/

My Variations from Recipe as Written: I used standard polska kielbasa (rather than turkey) and regular Half & Half (rather than fat-free).

General Thoughts: The ingredients for this soup were fairly straightforward and its prep was fairly easy, which is not always the case for creamy or bisque-like soups (particularly crab). Cutting and crisping the bacon and slicing the sausage were the most strenuous steps required, and I was able to do everything while giving more brain power to a movie on TV than I had to devote to my prep work. :-)

Small word of warning, though... Anytime you make a soup with real crab, it can get a little pricey. At my local store, for the crab alone (the recipe called for 1 pound), it cost about $30.00.  If you live in a crab-rich area, such as Baltimore or Annapolis, it might not be quite as daunting; however, it is something to consider if cost is going to be a deterrent for you.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

Overall, this soup was very solid and packed a serious flavor punch.  Combining two proteins, particularly a seafood and non-seafood choice, can sometimes be a little dicey.  But, in this soup, the combination of the crab and kielbasa was terrific, with the sausage in particular helping to lend the "bayou" feel to the recipe.  This soup uses a pound of crab and that was MORE than enough... Every single bite I took had crab in it!

The Cajun seasoning (both in the soup and sprinkled on top as a garnish) actually made the soup rather spicy, so if you are a "mild" eater, you might want to use a bit less. Also, I felt like the amount of thyme (which can taste earthy and sometimes bitter on my palate) could have been reduced by half to make the soup a little sweeter overall.

Polling the Fam: There really was no "fam" on this one, just me and Jayson... I really liked it and would make it again; however, in light of the cost, I might just save it for a special occasion. Jayson thought it was very solid, as well, finding it very hearty and filling. He said it had the right amount of crab taste, but using more Cajun seasoning as a garnish may have overdone it for him (so he skipped it in his second bowl).

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)