Caregiver Recipes: Satisfying Tuscan Soup

Caregivers in Concord NC

A delicious bowl of rustic Tuscan style sausage soup.

One of the most satisfying and fun aspects of being a caregiver is making delicious and satisfying meals for your elderly loved ones. This is a great way for you to show them how much you love them and want them to be happy, but also an opportunity for you to pursue your care goal of giving your seniors the nutrition that they need to stay healthy and strong throughout their aging years.

During the winter months there are few more satisfying and delicious meals that you can prepare for your seniors than a bowl of warm, filling soup. This satisfying Tuscan soup is a simplified version of a traditional Italian soup that utilizes ingredients you can find in any grocery store and might even have right in your kitchen already so even a huge pot with enough to feed the whole family is not going to break your grocery budget.

You can feel good knowing that this soup contains many of the nutrients that your parents need on a daily basis to stay healthy, including protein, vitamins, and antioxidants. For a lighter version, replace the heavy cream with whole or even 2 percent milk. You can also replace the spicy Italian sausage with a sweet version if your parents do not like spicy foods or you simply want a gentler flavor option.

What to Do

• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 and 1/2 cups of heavy cream
• 3 cups of baby spinach
• 3 russet potatoes
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 pound of spicy Italian sausage with the casing removed
• 4 slices of bacon
• A sharp knife
• A cutting board
• A large skillet
• A paper towel lined plate
• A large stockpot

What to Do

• Dice the bacon and set aside
• Mince the garlic and set aside
• Dice the onion and set aside
• Peel and then thinly slice the Russet potatoes
• Heat a large skillet on medium high heat
• Add the bacon to the large skillet
• Cook about 6 to 8 minutes, until brown and crispy
• Remove the bacon from the skillet and place on the paper towel lined plate
• Add the Italian sausage to the skillet
• Cook about 3 to 5 minutes, until browned, crumbling as it cooks
• Drain the excess fat and set aside
• Heat olive oil in the large stockpot on medium heat
• Add the garlic and onion to the stockpot
• Cook, stirring frequently, about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onions have become translucent
• Stir in the chicken broth
• Bring the broth to a boil
• Once boiling, add the potatoes
• Cook until the potatoes are tender, which should be about 10 minutes
• Stir in the spinach and sausage to the pot
• Cook about 1 to 2 minutes, until the spinach begins to wilt
• Stir in the heavy cream
• Cook about 1 minutes, until the cream is heated through
• Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Serve immediately, and garnish with additional bacon

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring in-home care to assist the family caregiver in Concord NC, please call the caring staff at TenderHearted Home Care today- (704) 612-4132.