Chicken Sausage White Bean Kale Soup with Mushrooms

We are really having a tough winter here in New England with the temperature at minus fifteen this morning when I went out to yoga.  What could be warm me up better than a hot bowl of soup. I love all the ingredients in the Sausage Soup I made today which taste so good and filling on a cold winter day. Healthy and tasty my favorite combination!

Chicken Sausage White Bean Kale Soup with Mushrooms

5-6 chicken sausage
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped leeks, white part only
1/2 cup celery, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 cups Kale, chopped leaves no stems
62 ounces(cartons) chicken broth, either homemade or bought.  I use low sodium, low fat chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried french thyme


Cook sausage in large frying pan on medium heat turning frequently for 15- 20 minutes. Sausage should be browned. Drain on paper towel and set aside.
Heat olive in large stock pot. Add garlic, leeks and celery cooking on low for 10 minutes, don't brown. Add mushrooms and cook for additional 10 minutes. Add kale cook just until wilted.
Add chicken broth, pepper, salt and thyme. Slice sausage into 1 inch slices then add to soup.
Simmer stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Serve hot plain or sprinkle with freshly graded Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!