When mid April feels like mid January, you bust out your dutch oven and whip up something hearty and satisfying. My mother made Zuppa Toscana when we were younger, and I remember the heat of the sausage, creaminess of the broth and of course, the kind of potatoes that you can't get enough of. So, with those goals in mind, I've adapted a few recipes to make this recipe Whole30 compliant. Day eight, here (whoop, whoop)!!

Stay cozy, my friends!

Ingredients:

6 slices of Whole30 compliant bacon (I used this one)- chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
One medium yellow onion diced
1 pound Italian sausage- I made mine with 1 lb pork and half of this seasoning mixture
3 medium yellow potatoes chopped - red potatoes are also a great as they have a low starch content and won't make your soup too thick
2 tablespoons fresh garlic minced
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
32 ounces of compliant chicken stock (I used this one)
1 small bunch of kale, stems removed
I can of coconut milk mixed (I use the emersion blender in to incorporate both solids and liquids)
Salt and pepper, to taste (I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper)

Directions:

Using a drizzle of avocado oil in the bottom of a dutch oven or heavy bottom pan, brown the sausage. When finished, remove with slotted spoon and set aside
In the same pot, crisp up the bacon. Should take about 10 or so minutes. Remove the bacon and set aside. Using the bacon reserves, sauté the onions until they are nearly transluscent (3-4 minutes), then add in the garlic; carefully stirring to avoid the garlic burning
Add the Italian seasoning and salt and pepper
Slowly add the broth into the pot with the garlic and onion; bring to a boil over high heat. Then add the potatoes and bring to a boil again, until the fork tender (probably about 10 or so minutes)
Reduce heat to a simmer, stir in coconut milk and sausage; heat through. Slowly add in the kale just before serving, but giving it a chance to wilt slightly.
Top with crispy bacon bits and taste to add any additional salt or pepper
Enjoy!