Healthier version of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscano

1 (16 ounce) package sausage (I usually buy the store brand ground sausage as its often cheapest. Jimmy Deans Sage flavor is a good one too).
2 potatoes, Chopped into bite size cubes or slices
1 small yellow onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced (you can use less, we love garlic)
1 cup (or more) frozen spinach (or fresh, or kale)
6 cups chicken stock (you can use canned or boullian, or homemade broth if you have that!)
1 cup fat free half and half
Salt and pepper to taste (I prefer coursely ground pepper for this soup)

adding crushed red pepper flakes is good if you like it spicy.
you can also add bacon, but obviously that adds fat.

Brown the sausage in a frying pan. Add to a stock pot (soup pot) when cooked through.
Place onions in a large saucepan (with a teeny butter or just butter spray) and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear.
Add the onions to the sausage in stock pot.
Mince the garlic cloves and add to the stock pot.
Add chicken broth, and potatoes, simmer 25 minutes (or until potatoes are soft).
Add spinach (or kale), and cream (1/2&1/2). Simmer 5 – 10 minutes and serve. (if you want to make the soup early, follow steps 1-4 and let pot simmer on the stove over a very low heat. Do step 5 about 5 -10 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup).

Serving Size: Makes 6 1-cup servings

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LTHARP617.