Zuppa Toscana

My boyfriend loves the Zuppa Toscana from the Olive Garden Restaurant, but we rarely eat there. Last week I surprised him by whipping up a pot of the soup. I made some adjustments to the recipe I found on-line to make it a little lower in fat and less oily. The result was a success!

Zuppa Toscana
1 lb. spicy turkey sausage, crumbled
1/2 lb. smoked bacon, chopped
1 qt. water
(2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
2 lg. russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, cubed (skin on)
2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
1 medium onion, peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped swiss chard
1 C. soy cream
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.

Cut fat off of bacon and brown in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain bacon and set aside.

Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with red pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste; heat through.

Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I served the soup with a crusty rosemary bread.