Hearty Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup

The way I make soup is usually just a look in the fridge to see what we have around. But this combination of sausage, sweet potato, and mushrooms always makes for a really deliciously sweet and flavorful broth. Find a way to tweak it and make it your own!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 - 1 1/2 lb of italian sausage (Can omit and sub white beans to make it vegetarian. Add extra salt, pepper, oil, and spices like paprika, red pepper flakes, and/or fennel if you do this.)

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 large sweet potatoes, diced

• a handful of mushrooms, chopped

• salt and pepper

• 1 tsp oregano

• 4+ cups broth

• 1 medium bunch of hearty greens (spinach, kale, chard, collards), roughly chopped

• optional: cilantro

Instructions:

1. Sauté sausage in a large pot until cooked through and then set aside, do not clean out the pot

2. In the same pot, sauté onion until soft, add garlic, stir, and add sweet potatoes and mushrooms (add a bit of oil or butter here if there isn't too much grease left over from the sausage

3. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano

4. Mix the ingredients together and let them sauté for a minute or two, add broth

5. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft, adding the sausage back in after about 10 minutes

6. Add in the greens and cooked sausage, if the soup is too thick, add water or broth to thin it to your desired consistency

7. Simmer the soup for 5-7 more minutes, add salt and pepper to taste (don't be shy)

8. Enjoy with a sprinkle of cilantro on top and a loaf of crusty bread!