Menu Therapy (Zuppa Toscana Recipe, Beets and Beet leaves)

I never thought I'd be a blogger. But I need to do something that feels productive. And I can type and I like to cook. The actual ability on the cooking may be arguable. However I have had recipe requests...and if nothing else I like my own food. That's all that matters, right?

So anyway, I need a therapeutic exercise for my brain. And since eating is a favorite hobby of mine ;) I figure it would be helpful (and healthful) to document it. If interesting to no one else, perhaps the hubby will at least find my efforts humorous. We'll give it a try.

Tonight, oddly, I found myself home alone on a Wednesday evening. So I started cooking. Here's what's on the menu: My version of "Zuppa Toscana" and beets.

Yeah, I know. Not the most complimentary dishes. But, a little background info for anyone interested, I have to be careful about my sodium intake so I make my personal versions of whatever I like so its safe for me to eat. (I have something called Intracranial Hypertension. Used to be called Pseudo Tumor Cerebri. Long story.)And the hubby is a painter, inhaling all kinds of toxins, and particularly today was feeling a bit queasy. Hence, the beets for his presumably toxic liver. And I like beets anyway. So here we go...

Zuppa Toscana
A little oil and garlic in the bottom of my stockpot, then add 2 links of sweet italian TURKEY sausage (don't like too much red meat anymore cuz it apparently doesn't like me!) out of the casings. Break it up into small bits as it cooks. Once browned, remove it from the pot.
Add 2 boxes low sodium chicken broth (yes I said boxes. The stuff I get 1.99/32oz box is only 70mg sodium. Not only are you not using gross canned stock, you're starting off with the basics. Much healthier for everyone, not just me, to add salt to taste later.)
While the broth is heating, chop the potatoes. All I've got today is the bag of little multi-colored ones I bought at Trader Joe's. That'll do! Sliced into bite size pieces, add to broth.
Clean the kale I bought today...cut off ends and trim leaves from center stems. Add to broth.
Add a little crushed red pepper, some more garlic :) and some black pepper. Salt if you want but the sausage will add some. You can add more at the end before you serve it.
Add the sausage back to the pot. Let it all simmer till potatoes are soft and....You Have Soup! Of course, for all you cheese loving friends of mine, top it with parmesan cheese when you serve it. (but that'll add sodium too so remember that when your deciding to add salt earlier!)

Now the beets..
I didn't know what I was doing when I began. Handy-dandy internet gave me my recipe "outline" so I began.
Wash and trim off stems, but don't throw them away! We're going to eat those tomorrow...with garlic and stuff :)
Boil a pot of water and add beets. Simmer for about 30 minutes...ended up closer to 45 minutes because these were BIG beets.
When they were tender enough to pierce through with a fork, I took them out of the water and let cool.
When cool enough to touch, rinse under cold water and remove skins.
Slice how you like them. I eat them with cider vinegar, a little salt if you want. ...and there you go.

You can save yourself some of the trouble and just buy the already cooked baby beets at Trader Joe's. Really good and cheap when you don't have time or motivation to clean and cook your own.

Next up: Tortilla Soup, Chicken Scarpariello (Carmine's NY Recipe)