Additions:

8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large purple onion, chopped
1 pound turkey sausage* cut up or crumbled
1 10-ounce box frozen spinach

Cooking Directions:

Preparing the Beans:

• Rinse, drain and pick over beans.
• Place beans in a bowl, cover with plenty of water and allow to soak for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Drain beans, place in 4 quart pot with 2 quarts fresh water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 1 hour, covered.
• Turn off heat and let stand till ready to use.

While Beans are simmering:

• In a 4 quart soup pot, sauté onion in oil about 5 minutes over medium heat.
• Add sausage and continue cooking 5 minutes.
• Stir in contents of seasoning packet.
• Add broth and drained beans.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, covered.
• Add spinach, simmer gently 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Inventive Soup Variations:

*Turkey and chicken sausages are becoming widely available in intriguing flavors. We tried a delightfully spicy chicken sausage with sun dried tomatoes and basil as well as turkey breakfast sausage. Let us know what specialty sausage you like.

Our various cooks recommend: Andouille, Kielbasa and many specialty varieties of chicken sausage links. Breakfast turkey sausage does not seem to enhance the texture or flavor of the basic soup. Be sure to add the spinach just before serving, do not prepare soup ahead and freeze with the spinach.

 

Ingredients:

Speckled cranberry beans, assorted mixed beans, red pepper, celery, carrots, garlic, basil, thyme and saffron; Gluten-free.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size: About 3 Tbsp. (36g) Dry Mix Prepared Serving Size: About 1 Cup Serving Per Container: About 12 Amount per Serving Mix Prepared Calories 90 210    Calories from Fat 5 80 % Daily Value** Total Fat 0g* 0% 14%    Saturated Fat 0mg 0% 8%    Trans Fat 0mg Cholesterol 0mg 0% 10% Sodium 25mg 1% 23% Total Carbohydrate 22g 7% 8%    Dietary Fiber 10g 40% 44%    Sugars 1g Protein 7g Vitamin A 30% 30% Vitamin C 35% 35% Calcium 6% 8% Iron 15% 20% * Amount in Mix ** Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.