12 ingredients
5 cup Chicken broth reduced sodium canned
14.5 oz Tomatoes diced canned no salt added
1 3/4 cup Cannellini or white kidney beans canned no salt added
2 cup, chopped Onions raw
2 cup, sliced Fennel bulb raw
1 1/2 tsp, leaves Thyme dried
6 oz Chicken or turkey sausage Italian low sodium
5 oz Spinach all varieties raw
7 steps
- Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and rinsed and drained cannellini beans to the slow cooker and turn on high for 3 hours. Be sure cover stays on throughout entire cooking cycle.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat and saute onions and sliced fresh fennel bulb for about 4 minutes.
- Add dried thyme, black pepper, 1 bay leaf, and dried rosemary to the onion mixture and saute for another 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning the spices.
- Add onion and spice mixture to the slow cooker.
- If you are using sausage links, poke them a few times with a fork then place them on a microwave-safe plate with a cover. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then flip links and microwave for another 2-3 minutes. Blot dry after cooking then dice, chop, or slice and put in slow cooker.
- About 10 minutes before the end of the cook cycle, add spinach to the slow cooker.
- At the end of the cook cycle, take out bay leaf then serve and enjoy.
Total yield = 8 cups
1 serving = 1 1/3 cups
Tips:
Garnished with freshly grated black pepper in recipe photo.
5 oz of packaged baby spinach = 4¾ cups of spinach
2 medium fennel bulbs = 2 cups sliced
You can choose to brown the sausage instead of microwaving. Use a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat and brown on one side for about 4-5 minutes then flip contents to brown on other side. You don't need to stir too often - the point is to brown the side touching the pan. Use a splatter screen if you have one.