Monday Night Dinner: Sausage Soup with Irish Soda Bread and a Salad

I made this meal for a weeknight dinner with my godfather.  I had exactly 30 minutes to whip something up from the time I got home to when he was due to arrive, so it's in the true spirit of Monday Night Dinner.  This was a beautiful healthy homemade meal that was a great marriage of from-scratch cooking and quick turn-around time.  Most impressive to guests will be the homemade bread.  Start that first and while it's baking move on to the soup.  This dinner serves 8.

Sausage Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian turkey sausage
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 6 cups homemade turkey stock
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• 6 oz raw spinach

Directions

Cook sausage until browned, remove from pot and set aside
Add oil and chopped onion to pot and cook until translucent and caramelized.
Add salt, pepper, and turkey stock.
Add beans and bring to a boil.
Add agave nectar and cider vinegar and remove from heat.
Add spinach to hot soup and let wilt just before serving.

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 1-3/4 cups 1% milk
• 1-1/2 Tbsp vinegar
• 1/4 cup agave nectar

Directions

Preheat oven to 375
Put vinegar in a container that holds at least 2 cups.
Warm milk just a little to take the chill off,and pour it into the container with the vinegar, and set aside.  It will curdle a little and that is fine.
Mix all dry ingredients together.
Add liquid and mix until combined - it's easiest to do this in a food processor.
Form loosely into two balls (dough will be very sticky) and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 30 minutes.

I like to serve these with an herby mixed greens salad tossed with thinly sliced apples and a light vinaigrette.

Light Dijon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Whisk everything together and toss with salad greens.  Serve immediately.

So your entire dinner comes in at 573 calories.  Go ahead and have that glass of wine.