Toscana Soup (low carb)

[Iggy aka IG]

1 pound spicy Italian sausage
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
2 quarts chicken broth or 3 chicken bouillon cubes and 2 quarts water
1 head cauliflower broken into bite size flowerettes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 med onion, chopped
2 cups chopped kale
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.

In the same soup pot over medium-high heat, brown bacon; remove and set aside.  Leave two tablespoons of rendered bacon fat in the skillet.  Saute the cauliflower, onion, and garlic in the rendered bacon fat over medium or low-medium heat.

Saute until the onion begins to be translucent and the cauliflower is still a little firm, but is beginning to soften.

Add the sausage, bacon, 7 cups of broth to the pot.  Simmer until the cauliflower is tender.

Iggy's notes:  I used onion powder in lieu of the onion, which DH despises.  I also used frozen okra instead of the kale, because I don't keep it on hand.  I browned the sausage and cooked the bacon in the micro, tossed everything into the slow cooker on low for 6+ hours.  This tastes yummy w/ some shredded cheddar on top and served w/ the grain free biscuits I posted under Bread recipes.