Sausage, Potato and Spinach Stew
Sausage, Potato and Spinach Soup
This is rich and warm stew (or sort of a thick soup) — it is a lighter, dairy-free version of a creamy and cheesy potato soup that I used to eat growing up in the mid-West. My whole family loves this comfort food and it is a total bonus that it is that is easy to pull together - perfect for a weeknight dinner. You can cut down on the cook time if you cook the potatoes ahead of time, which I do.
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
2 TBSP olive or avocado oil
1 medium yellow or red onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1.5 pounds (or 2 12 ox packages) of sausage (sugar-free) - we use Blinski’s brand
3 cups of chopped spinach
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp each of thyme, basil and garlic powder (make sure there are no added starches in your spices)
8 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 cups homemade chicken
1 cup coconut milk (no fillers or gums added)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Directions:
Heat the olive or avocado oil in a large saucepan. Add the chopped onions and carrots with a sprinkle of sea salt and sauté on medium for 5 minutes.
Slice the sausage and continue to sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add the chopped zucchini and sauté for another 3-4 minutes.
Add in the spinach, salt and spices and stir for another minute or two,
Add the chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil and then turn heat to low and simmer, covered until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. *I steam the potatoes ahead of time and let them cool in the fridge to increase their resistant starch. If you do this, you can just cook the potatoes in the broth for about 5-10 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Add the chicken and cook on medium to high heat for 5-7 minutes until no longer pink. Stir occasionally and mix in the onions and zucchini.
Add all spices and incorporate into the mix and cook for 2 more minutes – you want to “cook” the spices here so they meld into the meat and don’t taste raw.
Add 1 cup liquid and cover and cook on low for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. If the chili is getting too dry or sticking to the pan, add ¼ cup more liquid. The extra liquid helps with reheating later if you do it ahead of time or if you want a saucier chili to pour over rice or chips (like my non-IBD family members do).
Taste and adjust for seasonings, particularly salt, if needed.
