How to Make Quick, Easy, Inexpensive Broccoli Slaw and Sausage Soup (Diabetic Friendly)

This is one of our new favorite soups, and it's simple and inexpensive to make with convenience items. It's also reasonably nutritious, with plenty of vegetables, protein, and brown, instead of white, rice. I use pork breakfast sausage in the recipe and drain it well. You can substitute poultry breakfast sausage, which is leaner, if you prefer. Both types of breakfast sausage include plenty of spices, so the soup is easy to put together with a small number of ingredients. If you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy," the soup is a good option--far better than the kind Panera serves. We like the broccoli slaw and sausage soup for dinner with a salad, and leftovers reheat well in the microwave for lunches later in the week. Enjoy!

Easy Broccoli Slaw and Sausage Soup ( Diabetic Friendly) -- Serves 4+

1 medium chopped onion (about a cup)

16 ounce roll of breakfast sausage (pork or poultry)

12-14-ounce bag of broccoli slaw (preferably with carrots in it)

8 cups of water

1 tablespoon of reduced sodium chicken base (I use "Better Than Bullion")

1/2 cup of rinsed brown rice (I use brown basmati)

1/4 cup of white whole-wheat flour (or use all-purpose), plus enough milk to equal 1/2

cup

1 1/2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

Add the onion and sausage to a large pot and turn the heat to medium-high. Saute the onion and sausage together for 5-10 minutes or until the onion has softened a bit and the sausage is mostly cooked and browned a bit. Drain most of the fat from the mixture, leaving only about a tablespoon in the pan. Add the broccoli slaw and saute it with the onion/pork mixture for 3-5 minutes or until the broccoli wilts a bit. Add the water to the pan along with the chicken base and bring everything to a boil. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pot. Let the soup cook for 45-60 minutes or until the rice is done and the vegetables are very soft. Whisk together the flour and milk, then whisk them into the soup. Keep whisking until the soup thickens--usually 3-5 minutes. Stir in the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses until they melt into the soup. Turn off the heat and serve the soup.